Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao laid the foundation stone for the 31 km Hyderabad Airport Metro Rail project last week. Between the Mindspace interchange and Shamshabad Airport (Hyderabad International Airport), the metro arm would cost about Rs 62.50 billion, Rao said.

The project includes a 27 km route and a 2.5 km underground passage. It is funded by the state government, the GMR group and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).

“Mass transport and metro rail are the only traffic and pollution free systems in the world. There is a need to expand this in Hyderabad as well. Whether the central government cooperates or not, we will ensure better connectivity in the city,” said Rao. Rao complimented the officials for their efforts to realize the Airport Metro and said that Hyderabad, known as a truly cosmopolitan city that does not differentiate between religions and communities, has now become a global city.

Hyderabad was not well developed during previous regimes in undivided Andhra Pradesh, he claimed. He emphasized the need to further increase green space in the city.