The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has proposed a ₹345 crore six-lane flyover project connecting Mailardevpally, Shamshabad and Katedan junctions, running almost parallel to the proposed metro rail route to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA). The announcement has reignited citizens’ long-standing demand for a direct rail connection to the airport, with many questioning the need for such an expensive flyover when a more sustainable rail alternative could be developed.
The bi-directional flyover is being planned under the Hyderabad City Innovation and Transformative Infrastructure (HCITI) initiative. The project aims to provide uninterrupted vehicle movement for airport-bound passengers and those using the national highway, helping them avoid congestion at major junctions. However, citizens and transport advocates are urging the state government to consider a complementary approach that prioritizes public transport over road infrastructure.
Transport activists are calling on the government to partner with South Central Railway (SCR) to complete the final six-kilometre stretch from Umdanagar railway station to the airport terminal. They argue this would provide a cost-effective, faster and environmentally friendly public transport alternative to private vehicles and airport buses. The existing Umdanagar railway station is already operational and could serve as the connecting point for airport-bound passengers.
Noor Ahmed Ali, a former railway official and advocate for suburban train MMTS services, emphasized that passengers currently have no choice but to depend on airport buses or private vehicles, which significantly increases their travel and parking expenses. He stated that a passenger-friendly transport system that can be executed at minimum cost should be prioritized over expensive flyover projects that may become obsolete as traffic volumes continue to grow.
Ali urged the Revanth Reddy government to persuade RGIA authorities to grant right of way for an on-ground railway track up to the terminal, along with land for a station and access to the main foyer similar to the metro rail connectivity being planned. According to him, the project could be completed within months at a modest cost shared with the railways, while ticket prices would remain low as per existing MMTS fares, allowing passengers to reach the airport faster than by road.
The railway users committee member pointed out that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, during his tenure as Malkajgiri Member of Parliament, had supported such a proposal in the past. He argued that while flyovers lose their utility over time as traffic grows, rail-based systems like MMTS or Metro Rail remain sustainable, high-capacity and cost-efficient solutions for urban transport challenges.
Ali also observed that a move toward an MMTS-RGIA link could compel SCR to revisit its current approach of operating only skeletal MMTS services, with about 80 services running with irregular timings and gaps in frequency. He noted that improved connectivity to the airport would justify expanding the entire MMTS network across the city, benefiting lakhs of daily commuters.
The MMTS Phase One, covering 90 kilometers, was completed as a ₹160 crore project with 50:50 cost sharing between the railways and the state government. Phase-II, costing ₹1,169 crore, was launched by Prime Minister Modi two years ago, though about ₹400 crore remains pending from the state government. SCR has long maintained that technical and infrastructure bottlenecks limit service expansion, despite the completion of major infrastructure upgrades.
