THE HINDU: While the suspense continues about the probable
alignment changes on the Metro Rail corridors, a significant
breakthrough has been achieved in providing the right of way at a key
site. The ISKCON temple authorities have agreed to allow the overhead
viaduct across their property without affecting their two main
structures.
Senior Metro Rail officials, declining to
be identified, indicated that a broad agreement was reached with the
temple authorities to permit construction in 18 meter wide corridor
inside, on crossing Sangeet crossroads junction. A sum of close to six
crore rupees is to be paid as compensation for acquiring 6,000 sq.yards
of the land.
It comes as a shot in the arm for the
beleaguered Metro Rail officials as the issue was hanging fire over the
last couple of years and had become a major bottleneck on corridor three
– Nagole – Shilparamam - Raidurg route. Apparently, patient
negotiations with the property owners concerned and the Government’s
support has ensured some recalcitrant cases to come around.
Senior officials are now quietly confident of acquiring parts of a prominent club in Begumpet too.
“Over the years we have managed to take over more than 1,000 properties
along with old Gandhi Hospital land and defense properties through
persuasion and attractive compensation package,” they point out.
Still
about 500 properties including 281 key ones have to be acquired. Some
of these also come under Urban Land Ceiling Act and Government Vested
Municipal (GVMs) properties – listed as Government lands on official
records. Thus far, 156 GVMs have been acquired while 100 more are left.
Significant
number of remaining GVMs are on the Greenlands-Jubilee Hills route (4.5
km), also on corridor three. Only a few piers or pillars of viaduct of
117 planned have come up on this stretch due to a court case by the
affected persons. The HC has already heard both parties and final
judgement is awaited.
