KTR seeks Centre’s help for PRTS corridor

Minister seeks budgetary support for sewerage treatment efforts

Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao has informed that the State government is actively exploring options for urban smart mobility solutions such as personal rapid transit systems (PRTS), ropeway systems to act as feeder services to the metro rail and MMTS.

The government had proposed a PRTS corridor for a length of 10 km which would traverse from the State Assembly to Paradise metro station with a spur to Khairatabad metro station and MMTS station. The proposed corridor would integrate various transport systems like metro rail at Assembly , Paradise and Khairatabad stations and MMTS at Khairatabad and James Street stations, the Minister said in a representation submitted to Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The Minister, who is in New Delhi, said Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited were the consultants for preparation of feasibility study and detailed project report for the proposed corridor. He recalled that a high power committee had been formulated under MoRTH to recommend standards and specifications for the PRTS in the country. Accordingly, he urged the Union Minister to provide standards, specifications and legal/regulatory framework at the earliest so that the project could move forward.

In another memorandum, Mr. Rama Rao explained that the Telangana government worked out an ambitious project to provide 100 per cent sewage treatment for Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration and adjoining areas upto Outer Ring Road. The comprehensive plan included construction of 62 sewage treatment plants, laying of lateral sewer mains, branch sewer mains, truck sewer mains for collection of sewerage and conveying upto the STPs. The proposals were submitted with geographical bifurcations – upto GHMC limits as priority phase and beyond GHMC as subsequent phase. The STP projects within Hyderabad would cost ₹ 3,866.21 crore, sewer network projects an estimated ₹ 3,722.83 crore and STP projects phase -II covering upto ORR another ₹ 1,095.5 crore.

While three projects were tendered under hybrid annuity mode, works on STP package IV and sewer network, three packages amounting to ₹ 4,818.33 crore had already commenced. He urged the Centre to provide one-third budgetary support of ₹ 2,850 crore of the ₹ 8,684.54 crore project under Amrut 2. The balance would be met by the State government and the same should be included in the ensuing budget of the Union government.