Hyderabad: The Central government has not approved any new Metro Rail projects in Telangana, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The minister was responding to a question raised by BJP Rajya Sabha member R Krishnaiah regarding the status of Metro Rail projects across the country and the approvals granted to projects in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The statement clarifies the current position of metro expansion plans in the state.
Khattar stated that India currently operates a Metro Rail network spanning 1,159 km across 26 cities. He explained that Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase I was implemented by the Telangana government through Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The minister detailed that the Centre, through the Ministry of Finance, has released Rs 1,204 crore as Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the Hyderabad Metro project to date.
The Union minister’s statement comes amid ongoing discussions about metro rail expansion in Telangana. The existing Hyderabad Metro network serves as a crucial public transportation system in the state capital, connecting key areas of the city. The funding provided through VGF has been instrumental in supporting the project’s financial viability under the PPP framework. The lack of new project approvals indicates that any future metro expansion plans in the state have not yet received central government clearance.
Regarding Andhra Pradesh, Khattar informed the House that no Metro Rail project is currently under implementation in the state. Consequently, the Centre has not extended any financial assistance for Metro Rail projects in Andhra Pradesh. This information was provided as part of the comprehensive response to the parliamentary question about metro rail development in both Telugu states.
The minister’s response provides clarity on the central government’s position regarding metro rail infrastructure development in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The statement confirms that while Hyderabad’s existing metro system has received substantial financial support from the Centre, no additional projects have been sanctioned for the region. The Rs 1,204 crore VGF released for the Hyderabad Metro project represents the total central assistance provided to the state’s metro rail infrastructure so far.
