Hyderabad, one of the fastest developing cities in India, today added another feather to its cap with the opening of the second phase of Metro Rail linking Ameerpet in the heart of the city to LB Nagar, a busy eastern suburb. The 16-km long route was formally inaugurated by Governor ESL Narasimhan at Ameerpet around noon. The service was opened to the public in the evening.

The Governor, who travelled in the inaugural service from Ameerpet to LB Nagar, said, “I urge all the citizens of Hyderabad to use the Metro extensively to reduce the pollution and fuel consumption". Lauding the efforts of Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd and L&T Metro company officials to make Hyderabad project world class, Narasimhan said that the Hitech City route should be completed by December 15.

After returning from LB Nagar by metro Narasimhan rode a bicycle from Khairatabad station to Raj Bhavan.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Taraka Rama Rao said that every station of Metro was built to the international standard and the project was winning international awards. "It can compete with any Metro Rail project in the world", he said pointing out that with 46 kms long Metro already operational Hyderabad Metro had become the second biggest such project after Delhi leaving other cities including Chennai and Bengaluru behind.

The L&T Metro which was executing the project has spent Rs 12,000 crore on it while the State Government acquired the necessary land and properties for the project, KTR said.  With the opening of this stretch entire 29 kms long corridor from Miyapur to LB Nagar was operational. The Miyapur-Ameerpet and Ameerpet-Nagole route was opened by the Prime Minister Narendar Modi last year.

Of the 71 kms Metro line on all the three corridors the service has started on 46 kms and work was moving fast to compete the corridor 3 from Secunderabad to Mahatma Gandhi bus stand at Imlibun.

The Imlibun metro station will be the biggest and the tallest in the entire city as two corridors will join at this point and the people can interchange to different routes.

It has corridor stations on 1st and second floors, the corridor III stations will be on the two top floors NVS Reddy, managing director of the HMRL said that two skywalks will connect the Metro stations with the central bus station on one side and Chadarghat area on the other to ensure smooth flow of the

commuters. Another aspect of the project was the development of five kms route from state assembly station to the MGBS point as heritage precincts. As part of this effort to beautify the stretch road aides will be paved with Deccan stones and railings will be in Indo-Persian style to match with the architectural character of Hyderabad.