Hyderabad: The long-awaited Metro extension into Hyderabad’s Old City is facing serious delays, with land acquisition emerging as a major stumbling block. Despite kicking off the process four months ago, officials have managed to acquire less than half the properties needed for construction.
The 7.5-kilometre stretch from MGBS to Chandrayangutta is a major piece of Hyderabad Metro’s Phase-2 expansion, with a budget of ₹2,740 crore. But progress has come to a standstill – quite literally – as many of the properties fall near religious and heritage landmarks, turning land acquisition into a delicate and complex challenge.
Demolition has started in a few areas where land was secured, but legal entanglements are slowing progress. Out of more than 1,000 identified properties, fewer than 200 have been officially acquired, and just under 100 owners have given formal consent. Delays in compensation and tangled ownership records continue to bog things down.
This corridor is vital for bringing Metro access to parts of the city that have historically been left out. For years, plans to extend the Metro into the Old City have existed mostly on paper, blocked by legal fights and local pushback. Frustration among residents is growing as yet another round of efforts hits the same obstacles.
In response to mounting criticism, the Congress government has renewed its push to take the Metro line all the way to Chandrayangutta. Still, actual construction won’t move forward until the land acquisition puzzle is solved.
