L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (LTMRHL), which built and operates the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL), has announced a travel fare hike effective from Saturday, May 17. The hike, ranging from Rs 2 on the existing minimum fare of Rs 10, to Rs 15 on the existing maximum fare of Rs 60, will be the first ever for the metro since its inception in November 2017.
According to LTMRHL, a Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) headed by a former High Court judge was constituted in September 2022 to recommend the revision of fares. The Committee submitted its report recommending the revised fare structure on January 25, 2023. However, the recommendation was not implemented due to various reasons.
These recommendations are “binding” on the Metro Railway Administration or L&MRH as per the Metro Rail (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002.
“Striking a balance between providing affordable services and ensuring financial sustainability, the FFC has recommended the revised fare structure, which comes into force from May 17,” K V B Reddy, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said in a press release.
The new fares are: Rs 12 for up to 2 kilometre, Rs 18 for up to 4 km, Rs 30 for up to 6 km, Rs 40 for up to 9 km, Rs 50 for up to 12 km, Rs 55 for up to 15 km, Rs 60 for up to 18 km, Rs 66 for up to 21 km, Rs 70 for up to 24 km, and Rs 75 for more than 24 km.
HMRL currently operates three corridors covering 69 km and is the largest public-private partnership metro rail project in the world. Under Phase-1, the HMRL has been operating LB Nagar to Miyapur, Nagole to Raidurgam, and JBS to MGBS corridors for the last five years. The stretch between MGBS to Falaknuma has not materialised, mainly due to objections to property acquisition and route alignment issues, and the new government has taken up this stretch along with the rest of the Phase 2 corridors.
Under phase 2, a significant expansion of the existing metro rail corridors is planned for about 76 km at an estimated cost of Rs 24,269 crore. These include Miyapur to Patancheru (approximately 13.4 km) with about 10 stations; Nagole to Shamshabad Airport via L B Nagar and Chandrayangutta (approximately 29 km) with 24 stations; Raidurg to Kokapet (approximately 8 km) with 8 stations. L B Nagar to Hayathnagar via Vanasthalipuram (approximately 7.1 km) with 6 stations; and MGBS to Falaknuma (approximately 7.5 km) with 6 stations.
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Plans are being finalised for new corridors of approximately 86.5 km at an estimated cost of Rs 19,000 crore. This includes JBS to Medchal (approximately 24.5 km) via Karkhana, Alwal, Hakimpet, Suchitra, and Kompally. And JBS to Shamirpet (approximately 22 km) via Karkhana, Alwal, Hakimpet, and Thumkunta. Further, Shamshabad Airport to Future City (proposed Skill University) (approximately 40 km) is also being finalised.
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