Hyderabad: Assembly on Saturday adopted a resolution, introduced by chief minister A Revanth Reddy, to take over 69 kilometres of Metro rail (Phase-1) in the city from Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and also to expand it, Phase-IIA and IIB for 76.4 kilometres and 86.1 kilometres respectively. The resolution was adopted amidst protests from the opposition benches.While tabling the resolution, the CM said that a decision to expand Metro network was taken in view of people’s demand for Metro enhancement in the Hyderabad core urban area. The resolution was adopted by the House, even as BRS members, including T Harish Rao, registered their protest for not taking their opinion.Before the CM tabled the resolution, legislative affairs minister D Sridhar Babu presented the particulars of the resolution on behalf of Revanth Reddy.Sridhar Babu said that the Phase-1 project, covering three corridors — Nagole-Raidurg, JBS-MGBS, Miyapur-LB Nagar — was awarded to L&T in 2010 on a 35-year public-private-partnership (PPP) mode. Commercial operations began in stages from Nov 2017 to Feb 2020. “Despite city’s growth, Metro network expansion was not taken up. As a result, Hyderabad, which once stood second in the country in terms of the length of Metro rail line, has slipped to ninth position,” the minister said, adding that to regain momentum, the govt has planned Phase-IIA with five corridors totalling 76.4 km: Nagole–Shamshabad Airport (36.8 km), Raidurg–Kokapet (11.6 km), MGBS–Chandrayangutta (7.5 km), Miyapur–Patancheru (13.14 km) and LB Nagar–Hayathnagar (7.1 km). The outlay for the phase has been pegged at 24,269 crore.Phase-IIB proposes three corridors, covering 86.1 km: Shamshabad Airport–Bharat Future City (39.6 km), JBS–Medchal (24.5 km) and JBS–Shamirpet (22 km) at a cost of 19,579 crore. The combined 162.5 km blueprint was sent to the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs on Nov 4, 2024 for clearance as a joint venture between the Centre and the state.The central government, insisted on seamless operational integration with the privately run Phase-1 because four of the five Phase-IIA lines were continuations. Minister Sridhar Babu said that the Union govt had asked L&T to join Phase-II as an equity partner, but L&T declined, citing corporate policy. Instead, it offered to exit the Phase-1 if the govt assumed its 13,000 crore debt and compensated its equity.The state cabinet on Feb 23, 2026 approved its takeover. “In its meeting on March 23, the council of ministers approved HMRL to take over L&T’s debt and equity for not more than 15,000 crore by following due legal process by April 30,” the minister said.
