Hyderabad: Relief for Hyderabad Metro commuters during peak hours is likely to take longer, with the induction of 60 new coaches expected to be delayed by at least two years due to the prolonged transfer of the phase-I project to the Telangana govt.The state govt had planned to place an order for additional coaches soon after the formal transfer from the Centre, following preliminary discussions with Bengaluru-based Bharat Earth Movers (BEML). However, the process has been held up after the Centre ordered a fresh valuation of the project, delaying key decisions including procurement.SBI Caps has been appointed to conduct the valuation and oversee financial restructuring, including identifying a lender to refinance existing Metro debt. Officials said the exercise is expected to take around two months, with the overall transfer likely to be completed by the end of the year.Until then, the order for new coaches is unlikely to be placed. Even after procurement, BEML has indicated a manufacturing and delivery timeline of about 15 months, effectively pushing induction to nearly two years from now.The delay comes amid rising congestion on Hyderabad Metro, particularly on the IT corridor, where peak-hour services are frequently overcrowded. A recent commuter survey found that 58.2% of passengers face difficulty finding seats during rush hours, with many reporting challenges even in boarding trains.Officials said increasing coach capacity is essential to ease crowding, but procurement remains on hold until the transfer and financial restructuring are completed.The issue has also been taken up between the state and the Centre. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has written to Union minister G Kishan Reddy seeking faster progress, following which meetings were held with Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Manohar Lal Khattar.The Centre has since initiated a comprehensive review covering phase-I valuation, phase-II expansion and related issues, with SBI Caps overseeing the assessment process.
