Hyderabad’s long-awaited Metro expansion is once again facing delays, even as the Centre has moved forward with proposed Metro rail projects in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has reportedly cleared the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the two Andhra Pradesh cities and sent them to the Union Finance Ministry for further financial evaluation.
The development has renewed concerns in Telangana over the slow progress of approvals for Hyderabad Metro’s next phase. Telangana has been seeking Central approval for its expansion plans for several years, with the State government arguing that Hyderabad needs a larger Metro network to address increasing traffic, rapid urbanisation and rising passenger demand.
Vizag and Vijayawada Metro projects
Andhra Pradesh has proposed a combined Metro network of approximately 84 km for Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. The estimated cost of the two projects is around ₹21,616 crore.
The proposed projects are expected to follow a joint funding structure. The Centre and Andhra Pradesh government would each contribute 20%, while the remaining 60% would be raised through loans from financial institutions. The DPRs have now moved forward to the Finance Ministry for financial appraisal.
What is happening with Hyderabad Metro?
Hyderabad currently has an operational Metro network of around 69.2 km, spread across three corridors. However, the city’s planned expansion has not received the final Central approval required to move ahead at the proposed scale.
The Telangana government has submitted different versions of its Phase-II plans over the years. The earlier proposal submitted during the previous government included a 26-km BHEL–Lakdikapul corridor and a 5-km LB Nagar–Nagole extension. The Centre rejected that proposal in 2023, with the government citing factors including lower projected peak-hour passenger traffic and insufficient ridership.
After the Congress government came to power in Telangana, the Metro expansion plan was substantially revised.
The State has subsequently proposed a larger network covering 122.9 km across seven corridors, with an estimated project cost of approximately ₹38,595 crore. The Telangana government has asked the Centre to take up the project as a joint venture between the Union and State governments.
Seven corridors proposed under Phase-II
The revised plan is designed to extend Metro connectivity to several rapidly developing parts of Hyderabad and its surrounding areas. The Telangana government has described the proposed 122.9-km network as a key requirement for keeping up with the city’s expansion and improving public transport connectivity.
The State has also proposed taking up the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport–Future City corridor as part of a subsequent Phase-III expansion. A DPR for this corridor has also been prepared and submitted.
Revanth Reddy seeks Centre’s approval
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has repeatedly requested the Union government to speed up the approval process.
In a meeting with Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister sought early clearance for Hyderabad Metro Phase-II. Telangana said its revised DPR had incorporated suggestions from the Union ministry and was ready for consideration.
The State government has also linked the expansion plans to its decision to take control of the existing Phase-I Metro system from L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited. According to the Telangana government, government control over Phase-I would make coordination and execution of future Metro phases easier.
