While everyone notices the works for Hyderabad Metro Rail fast progressing, no one sees pillars shaking, cracks formed and a portion of one pillar caving in. It looks like even the media is being managed to keep certain disturbing things under wraps. The News gets you the ground reality
The News Bureau
Metro Rail works are progressing at a brisk pace. Everything looks hunky dory, and the entire city is eagerly waiting to s
But if some ill-omens that surfaced in the recent past are anything to go by, we have big reason to worry. Somewhere in the piled mud and covered trenches, on the pillars and the girdles, tracks and the elevations, there hides the demon of doom, ready to spell some kind of disaster.
Yes, the Metro Rail construction works seem to have left room for disaster to strike at any time. And if you did not get to read about it in newspapers and hear on scores of local television news channels, then heavens forbid, you have been hoodwinked by the rich and the mighty.
Officials claim the project uses state-of-the art technology with stringent technical specifications, performance criteria and safety standards. But two recent i
Hold on! Get ready for the shock! A few weeks ago, one of the pillars on which the rail has to be laid, was reportedly found damaged. About 45 per cent of the top portion of the 7-feet diameter pillar caved in near Begumpet. Fortunately, nobody was present at the site when the pillar caved in.
Reliable sources connected with the project told The News strictly on condition of anonymity that the pillar was completely removed at lightning speed even before anybody noticed it.
Asked how come such a big news did not get the media attention, sources said, "Our people spend Rs 1 lakh a month on the media persons for friendly relations. We have been able to cover up such things, which take place often.” OMG!
In yet another incident, the workers found a leakage in drainage line beyond 20 meters, again at Begumpet, where a pillar was to be laid. It would have been disastrous in future, if the leak was not discovered by the workers.
The Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has been asked to explain why the information was not given in advance about the underground drainage system's existence at the particular spot, an official of the Metro Rail project told The News.
"We were told by the water board officials that even they were unaware of the old drainage system laid during Nizam's period. They attended the repair works and arrested the leak," the official said.
Recalling the 2012 accident at a metro rail construction site in Mumbai and the collapse of flyover in Panjagutta in the city years ago, the sources expressed doubts over the absolute safety of the project.
The age old underground drainage system laid during Nizam's period has been discovered at a depth of 20 meters. It shows that the dra
Over a period, there could be seepage in the earthen layers weakening the pillars thereby leading to disaster, sources said.
Though the private partner of the project, the Larsen & Toubro, which is executing the works, ensures elaborate safety standards, there is always possibility of some error since several agencies need to work in coordination to complete the project, experts said.
Moreover, officials belonging to the sole owner of the project, Larson & Turbo (L&T) are said to have been ignoring suggestions of the government officials about safety standards on the ground that the private entity was investing money and they were responsible for operating the project for 35 long years and they know their job better than anybody else, sources said.
Hyderabad Metro Rail is the first project in the world, covering 72 km and has been undertaken by a private entity. This is also the first time the L&T is venturing into such a huge project.
The L&T, which is the concessionaire, is licensed to use the land, while government continues to be the owner. It is being built under the DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer) model.
The project will come back to the government after the concession period of 35 years, but it could be extendable by another 25 years. Thus, there is a possibility that the private entity might have complete control over the project for 60 years and nobody can predict what happens after 60 years in this country, sources said.
Of a total investment of Rs 14,132 crore, the Government of India has sanctioned Rs 1,458 crore VGF (viability gap funding) amounting to 10 per cent of the project cost. The remaining Rs 12,674 crore is being invested by the private partner, L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited, while the government of Andhra Pradesh is spending Rs 1,980 crore on land acquisition, widening of roads, relief and rehabilitation and shifting of utilities, officials said.
Hyderabad Metro Rail will cover a distance of 71.16 km involving three high density corridors. The project will be integrated with existing railway stations, suburban railway network (MMTS) and bus stations.
N V S Reddy, managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail project says that the metro rail has kept a safe distance of at least 500 feet from monuments such as Charminar, Salar Jung Museum and other structures of archaeological importance. Also, an elevated metro system was much more energy efficient than an underground system.
Remember, the moment you visit the home page of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) website you will find its mission statement which says, "To create an efficient, safe, reliable, economical & world class public transportation system in Hyderabad, which will facilitate the city’s transformation ? as a competitive global city with high quality of life.”
But it appears the contractors are not doing enough to make the mission statement a complete reality. If something really goes wrong, no government representative will lose his life, nor the construction giant L&T, but it is our own dear ones that are going to perish. Is anybody listening?