Hyderabad, January 24: Traders of Sultan Bazar, Badichowdi, Koti, Kachiguda and Putlibowli have bluntly told Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) officials to change the alignment of Corridor-II. Until the routes are changed, they were not going to keep quiet on the issue as livelihood of 3 to 4 lakh people would be affected.
HMR and GHMC authorities held a secret consultation meeting with the shopkeepers on Sunday, which was not informed to the media. HMR managing director, NVS Reddy, GHMC additional commissioner K Dhananjaya Reddy and others were welcomed by 400 traders shouting slogans “Metro rail hatao, Sultan Bazar, Badichowdi, Kachiguda bachao.”
Sultan Bazar Traders Association president Surendra Luniya and traders told officials they were not going to part with their properties. NVS Reddy explained the need for Metro rail connectivity to busy and congested areas like Chikkadapally, Narayanaguda, Badichowdi, Sultan Bazar and other Old City areas. He stated the Metro would be designed as an urban renewal and rejuvenation project with emphasis on integration of different modes of transport. It would focus on development of greenery and public recreation areas at the stations and along the metro rail corridors, said the MD. But traders were not convinced with his assurances and demanded either change of alignment or underground metro rail.
HMR officials explained the technical non-feasibility of the alternative routes suggested due to sharp curvatures, involvement of large-scale demolitions, on-going micro-tunnelling sewerage works and presence of heritage structures.
Ruling out these possibilities, Reddy assured the traders that a liberal compensation package for owners, tenants and hawkers would be worked out. Dhananjaya Reddy also informed the traders that market rates would be paid for affected properties and that interests of all affected hawkers, owners and tenants would be taken utmost care.
–Agencies