Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K. Tarakarama Rao said that the State Government would provide best services at all Metro Stations while giving necessary linkage through RTC buses, auto-rickshaws and cabs.
KTR, along with Legislative Council chairman Swamy Goud, Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Jagadish Reddy, T. Padma Rao and Mahender Reddy, MPs Jithender Reddy, Malla Reddy and Bandaru Dattatreya, GHMC Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin and other officials travelled in the Metro Rail from Nagole to Mettuguda and back.
Speaking to media persons later, KTR informed that Prime Minister Narender Modi, along with Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, would inaugurate the Metro Rail on November 28 at 2.15 pm. He said the Metro Rail services would commence on November 29 and trains would be operated from 6 AM to 10 PM. Initially, he said each Metro Rail would have three bogies which could accommodate about 1,000 passengers. He said the train would be run on 30 km stretch from Miyapur to Nagole for the next four months. Depending upon the rush, the services would be extended for one-and-half hour from 5.30 am to 11 pm. He said this the world's biggest Metro Rail project in Public-Private-Partnership mode.
KTR appealed to the people to keep the Metro trains and stations neat and clean. He also informed T-Sawari Smart Cards would be issued for the passengers soon which would enable them to travel in Metro train, bus, auto and even cabs. He said passengers could also download the T-Sawari applications on their mobile phones.
The minister said presently 57 Metro trains were available in the city with each train having three coaches. He said the capacity could be doubled by increasing the number of coaches to six in future. He said 24 stations have been established on the route from Miyapur to Nagole. He said enough parking spaces have been provided for two-wheelers and four wheelers at all stations. He said sky-ways and foot-over-bridges were also being constructed at some stations.
Speaking about the Metro Rail's ticket, he said that the prices would be affordable for the common man. He said that the L&T would finalise the prices latest by Sunday evening. He hoped that the launch of Metro Rail services would reduce the pollution levels in the city.