Few days back, during his visit to Vijayawada city, Metro Guru Sreedharan politely rejected the AP government’s proposal to connect Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri cities with Metro Rail stating it is not viable. Then, he also stated that many countries in the world are running the metro trains considering them as a social responsibility and not because there are huge profits in that business. One may recall that L&T Company that takes-up the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project also has expressed same opinion in its letter written to Telangana government two months ago. It even also prepared to quit the second phase of this project for the same reasons.

 

However, it is interesting to see it quite convinced to continue the project after sitting in a meeting with Telangana CM KCR. It not only agreed for the proposed changes in line alignments but also reported to be prepared to extend this project to 200 km further in the city. It may justify its decision as CM KCR has assured to bear the additional burden that will arise out of realignment. But, in context of Sreedharan’s observations about Metro viability, is it wise to extend this project to 200 km further anyway?

 

Earlier, in its letter written to Telangana government, it also asks it to provide some additional source of income to compensate the Metro losses. Media reports that the company representatives have reminded this point to CM KCR in their latest meeting. They reported to be appealed him to let their Company take part in building the express high ways, sky ways and the high rise towers like Petronas that CM KCR is proposing in Hyderabad city.

 

So, obviously a doubt arises in anyone’s mind that whether KCR has unleashed these big dreams to compensate the company losses or just to ensure that L&T Company complete the Metro Rail Project without raising an eye brow in future?