Hyderabad residents using the Metro Rail are worried about the government’s ability to manage it properly. Many believe that the state taking over the Metro Rail will lead to poor maintenance.
Anushka Nath, a frequent metro rider, mentioned concerns about fare hikes after the Telangana government took over the first phase from L&T. She trusts the service quality will remain, but fears high fares. Effective management by the state is a major concern.
Reactions among metro users are varied about the government’s takeover from L&T. Last year, the Metro Rail saw over 5.6 lakh daily passengers. Activist Sai Teja highlighted concerns over the government’s management due to debts ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 crore owed to it.
Teja doubts efficient management by the government, as the project was initially a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), key to its success. He fears that cleanliness and upkeep will suffer if the government handles it alone. Projects under the PPP model usually perform better, he argued.
Ibrahim Ali, another daily commuter, was surprised by the news. He praised the current system’s quality compared to other states but is uncertain about future changes. He believes time will reveal the impact of this transition.
On Thursday, the Telangana government officially announced taking over Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase 1 from L&T Group. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy made this decision during a meeting with company officials.
