Government, L&T sign pact for Metro Rail project

HYDERABAD: Paving way for the construction of a world-class and speedy public transport system in the state capital, the state government and Larsen and Toubro signed an agreement today for the development of the Hyderabad Metro Rail project in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.The agreement was signed by municipal administration and urban development department principal secretary T S Appa Rao and chief executive officer of Metro Rail Hyderabad Pvt. Ltd. Vivek Bhaskar Gadgil in the presence of chief minister K Rosaiah, MA&UD minister A Ramnarayana Reddy, home minister P Sabitha Reddy, health minister D Nagendar, BC Welfare minister M Mukesh Goud and chief secretary S V Prasad.Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the project is the single largest investment in the state and the 71-km project would be one of the largest metro rail projects in the world and, in fact, the largest in the PPP mode. Recalling how Bangalore had suffered due to heavy traffic, Rosaiah said the MRTS was to prepare to face the future traffic problems in Hyderabad.He said that the transparent method followed by the government in finalising the bids had been complemented by the Planning Commission. The chief minister wanted L&T to complete the project at the earliest and offered to extend all possible help.The chief minister appealed to the people to bear the inconvenience that would come up during the construction of the project. Speaking on behalf of the L&T, its chief financial officer Y M Deovasthalee said the metro rail project would change the very face of Hyderabad.