Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMRL) Managing Director NVS Reddy carried a meeting with the delegates of major IT/ITES companies and developers of IT companies at Metro Rail Bhavan on Tuesday on first and last mile connectivity at the Metro stations in the track of initiation of Metro train services on Ameerpet-Hitec City stretch of Metro Rail corridor-III.
Approaching a gathering of about 40 representatives, the MD explained to them the benefits of Metro travel in the way of fuel saving, saving in commute time, reduction in pollution levels, stress-free travel to work, better work and family environment for the employees, and people etc.
The Metro charge structure, parking facilities at Metro stations, the current feeder services etc., were also explained. He moreover told them that the ridership has progressed up from 1.80 lakh per day to 2.21 lakh yesterday (Monday) and that it will further rise once the first and last mile connectivity is set.
Acknowledging to the proposal made by the representatives of IT companies and large IT campuses, NVS Reddy recommended them to transform their current long distance feeder buses and another pick up services from places exceeding LB Nagar, Uppal, Miyapur etc., into short services between Metro stations like Hitec City and Durgamcheruvu to the IT premises within a limit of about 4 or 5 km and likewise between stations like LB Nagar, Dilsukhnagar, Nagole, Uppal and Miyapur to the nearby places, so that the main journey can be done with the comfortable and pollution free Metro train services. He inspirited them that HMRL would expedite the required permissions and implement the required parking places for the feeder service vehicles at the Metro stations.
Intimating the availability of parking places at Durgamcheruvu, Hitec City (cellar of Hitec Mall) and Madhapur stations, to start with, NVS Reddy and L&TMRHL MD KVB Reddy asked them to earmark some parking places on their several campuses for parking the feeder service vehicles. Some of the companies like Novartis and KonyLabs said that they would begin short distance feeder services from Hitec City and Durgamcheruvu stations to their premises in a few days. The other companies have also welcomed the proposal and stated that they would follow group at an early date.
When most of the IT company representatives demanded the introduction of monthly passes and “station to station trip” passes, L&TMRHL MD Mr.KVB Reddy agreed that they would be launched soon. On the matter of reducing queues at Hitec City and other busy Metro stations, L&TMRHL Chief Operating Officer Anil Saini recommended to the IT companies to opt for bulk purchase of Metro Rail smart cards and that those who are interested may communicate with Rishi Verma of L&TMRHL on 994915833.
Apart from the above, the following decisions were taken in the meeting:
L&TMRHL will place Metro network map and train timings at IT campuses and other prominent locations; Police will be requested to increase/facilitate Cyber shuttle and SHE shuttle services to Hitec city and Durgamcheruvu Metro stations;
Metro information availability through T-Savari and Metro call centers will be made public among IT employees by IT company managements and M. Satyanarayana of Facilities Management Council would organize between the IT companies and HMRL/L&TMRHL to have constant interaction and help more and more IT employees shift over to Metro travel to ease overcrowding and diminish the pollution levels in the city.