Chronicle development updates on metro rail projects : Metro Rail News

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28/09/2018

Hyderabad Metro | CEIG inspects 33kV/415V substations at 4 Metro stations

Hyderabad: On 27^th September Thursday L& T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) announced that the Chief Electrical Inspector to Government of India (CEIG) for Hyderabad Metro Rail Project D.V.S. Raju has inspected 33kV/415V indoor substations installed in four stations from Peddamma Temple to Hitech City.

These stations are part of Corridor-III (Ameerpet to Hitec City stretch) of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project. This inspection is a kind of formality to process according sanction for energisation of stations which will facilitate the testing and commissioning activities of railway systems like signalling, telecommunication and automatic fare collection in this section.

CEIG D.V.S. Raju observed that the Metro rail stations receive power at 33kV voltage through ring main fed from 132/33/25 kV receiving sub-stations (RSS) located at Yousufguda and Uppal. Commissioning these auxiliary sub-stations will boost the progress and hasten the completion of metro rail section between Ameerpet and Hitec City of Corridor-III.

L&T Metro Rail MD & CEO K.V.B. Reddy said that a month ago, Mr. Raju had inspected the indoor substations in four other metro rail stations from Madhuranagar, Yousufguda, Jubilee Hills Road No 5 and Jubilee Hills Check Post on the same route. This is an important development for Corridor-III (Ameerpet to Hitec City stretch) as commissioning these stations will make auxiliary power supply available for the entire stretch of 10 km.

Record footfalls at L.B. Nagar station:

HMR MD N.V.S. Reddy also said that in just two days of being brought under the metro rail network, the terminal station of L.B. Nagar has overtaken all other stations in having 10,200 passenger footfalls like Miyapur 8,800 and KPHB 8,600. Ameerpet interchange station continues to be in the top clocking 14,700 passengers a day, informed.

He also added that 1.66 lakh passengers had travelled on Wednesday out of whom 1.50 lakh were paid passengers. The new section of Ameerpet- LB Nagar has added 82,000 and hence, the number of passengers using Corridor 1 – L.B. Nagar to Miyapur of 29 km was at 1.16 lakh. The 17-km stretch of Corridor III (Ameerpet-Nagole) accounted for 50,000 footfalls.

Hyderabad Metro | DPR in the final stage for Rail Phase-II

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28/09/2018

Hyderabad Metro | DPR in the final stage for Rail Phase-II

Hyderabad: In the final stage of Phase – II express connectivity to be made viable between Raidurg and international airport at Shamshabad. This is as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Hyderabad Metro for second phase.

The DPR will be prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) and they are expected to submit the report soon.

Managing Director, NVS Reddy of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) while speaking to the press said that they had an internal discussion and then DPR will be sent to state government for getting nod.

The second phase will also include development of other Hyderabad Metro stretches; this apart from offering metro express connectivity to airport.

Reddy while talking The New India Express stated that HMRL under Phase-II has proposed to take up other routes from BHEL-Lakdikapul corridor via Kondapur, Gachibowli, Shaikpet, Tolichowki, Mehidipatnam and to connect the gap between LB Nagar and Nagole, Falaknuma to Shamshabad airport.

Further by 2019, phase-I of metro that covers 72km stretch will be completed barring Old City stretch.

L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited is expected spend an extra Rs 2,500 crore to wrap up the Hyderabad Metro Rail project. As a concessionaire, LTMRHL has spent around Rs 13,000 crore of the Rs 14,132 crore taken up under public-private partnership.

While the State government has offered nearly Rs 2,300 crore for acquiring land, right of way and connected infrastructure ensuring timely completion of the project.

HMRL has already conducted survey and marked properties lying in metro stretch.

L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited MD & CEO, KVB Reddy assured that Hyderabad Metro work in on track. He further added that they have managed to use best of technologies to implement the project successfully with the help of HMRL. There were few glitches and challenges but together both HMRL and L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited managed to overcome them.

An overwhelming response on Day 1 of Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro

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28/09/2018

An overwhelming response on Day 1 of Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro

Hyderabad: Ridership on Day 1 on -LB Nagar stretch crossed 19,000 as per the data given by the L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited (LTMRHL) authorities. On the inaugural day commuters gave thumbs up to the metro line. The ridership figures are definitely encouraging and Hyderabad Metro officials are confident that the numbers will go much higher than this.

It was this week that commercial services of metro began on the Ameerpet -LB Nagar stretch. In the very first day, metro ran 71 trips in both directions. The numbers are very encouraging and show that people in the city are using metro services over other modes of public transport.

The operations began at 6 am in the morning and last train departed at 10.30 am. With the stretch becoming operation a total of 270 trips will be made in both direction post inaugural of the Hyderabad Metro line.

The 16-km stretch will officially inaugurated on Monday. Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan flagged off the metro train from the Ameerpet metro interchange station towards LB Nagar in the city. This Ameerpet -LB Nagar stretch will also be second largest metro network after Delhi.

As per Hyderabad Metro officials the line JBS to MGBS stretch and the Hi-Tec City stretch needs to be commissioned before considering the financial status of the project.

Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL)managing director NVS Reddy informed that work construction work is in advanced stages on the Metro rail till Mindspace Station.

Reddy also shared that by mid 2019 work on JBS to MGBS stretch of the Metro rail, part of the Corridor-2 will be completed. With this all three line will be made operational by end of 2019.

Institution of Civil Engineers has also shortlisted Hyderabad Metro rail project as one of the top 10 projects across the globe for the “Best Engineering Project of the World” award.

In coming months, the number of riders on Ameerpet -LB Nagar stretch will determine the success of this route.

LMRC & HDFC launch digital payment solution for various purposes

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27/09/2018

LMRC & HDFC launch digital payment solution for various purposes

Lucknow: The Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) and HDFC Bank Ltd. have today tied up for enhancing cashless transaction for Metro travel by launching digital payment solution for Metro commuters. Shri Kumar Keshav, Managing Director, LMRC, launched this facility at the Charbagh Metro Station in the presence of Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Regional Head- Uttar Pardesh, HDFC Bank and other directors and senior officers from both the companies.

Speaking at a function organized on this occasion at the Charbagh Metro Station, Shri Keshav said “today’s development marks an important step ahead in the direction of counter less ticketing which the Lucknow Metro aims to achieve in the near future for the benefit of Metro commuters”. “By using this facility at the automatic Token Vending Machines (TVMs)/ Recharge Card Terminal Machines (RCTMs), the Metro commuters can now directly get the tokens from these machines by paying the fare through their debit/credit card in a cashless mode”, he added.

Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Regional Head- Uttar Pardesh, HDFC Bank, said “We are very delighted and honoured to have partnered with LMRC to provide such a service for the Metro passengers. This initiative will facilitate the customers to purchase token in a smart way at the Metro stations without wasting their time while standing/waiting in queue to get a token from the token counters in a manual way”.

With the commissioning of the 23 km long Metro corridor between Chaudhary Charan Singh (CCS) Airport and Munshipulia for public services by early next year, LMRC aims to achieve cashless ticketing for the benefit of Metro commuters. Metro commuters are also increasingly shedding reluctance to find automatic Token Vending Machines (TVMs) and Recharge Card Terminal Machines (RCTMs) to be easier & convenient to operate and use.

In today’s fast paced world, LMRC is helping Lucknowites to save their precious time and making a smart move towards a lifestyle more synonymous with busiest metropolitan cities across the country. Lucknow Metro makes great effort to put in place new technical advances, so that travelling becomes easy and hassle free. It regularly keeps upgrading its automatic TVMs and RCTMs for the benefit of customers and also takes special initiatives to aware passengers about automatic ticketing.

Special drives are undertaken twice a month in order to educate and aware the masses for using the latest technology for their convenience so that a ‘smarter’ way of Metro travel inculcates a ‘smarter’ behavior in Metro passengers also as regards their token purchase or smart card recharge in the Metro system.

JICA not stopping funds for Bullet train, assures NHSRCL

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27/09/2018

JICA not stopping funds for Bullet train, assures NHSRCL

New Delhi: There were media reports doing rounds for some time that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has stopped financial support for Bullet Train, India’s high speed rail project. National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) has assured that these reports hold not truth.

NHSRCL is the nodal agency for execution of the Bullet Train project in India. The agency has rubbished all claims that JICA has stopped funding on the pretext that the government should first resolves impending issues with farmers.

Post announcement of the Bullet train project, there have been controversies and problems with farmers refusing to part with their land.

The government at the centre in order to resolve the issue has formed committee. Owing to cash crunch and subsequent delay in resolving farmer’s issue is likely to extend project deadline.

NHSRCL issued a statement – In fact, the Government of India and JICA have already signed a loan agreement of about 10 billion yen and no payment is pending from JICA as on date.

Officials from NHSRCL have assured care of the interests of the affected farmers. They have submitted indigenous people plan, social impact assessment and environmental impact studies have been prepared and shared with JICA.

Previously, there were strong rumours doing the rounds that JICA had stopped funding for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream project. The financial assistance was allegedly stopped owing to farmers’ issue with regards to land acquisition.

JICA which is formed on October 1, 2003, is a governmental agency. It coordinates official development support for the government of Japan. The aim of the body is as enlisted by them is – “contribute to the promotion of international cooperation as well as the sound development of Japanese and global economy by supporting the socioeconomic development, recovery or economic stability of developing regions”.

NHSRCL on the other hand seems to have made headway to resolve the deadlock in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The nodal agency continues to face issue with regards to land acquisition.

Farmers on the other hand have sent letters to JICA and invited them to see their plight before financing the project.

Indore Metro and Bhopal Metro rail projects extension approved

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27/09/2018

Indore Metro and Bhopal Metro rail projects extension approved

Bhopal: The much needed extension for Bhopal, Indore Metro Rail projects has finally got the state cabinet approval. The state also gave its nod for the bank loan of 500 m euro from the European Investment Bank for the Bhopal Metro Rail Project.

The other approval that the cabinet gave for creating 129 post for the Project Management Unit as well as 274 positions for Project Implementation Units.

The cabinet has given sanction of formation of two posts independently of Additional Managing Director for Indore and Bhopal Metro.

Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Co Limited (MPMRCL) will be authorized for filling the vacancies, recruitment procedure, honorarium and decide the prerequisite of educational qualification and experience.

The Cabinet has also decided to initiate the Mukhya Mantri Avivahita Pension Yojana via the Department of Social Justice and Disaster Welfare.

With this approval will finally things move as for last eight years the Bhopal Metro Rail project is biting the dust. The project largely remains on paper till date with general public waiting to board the metro.

With a population of over 20 lakh people, Bhopal fits the metro bill. But unfortunately, nothing concrete has been done to initiate work on metro rail. Bhopalis now wait for the authorities to work towards turning the proposed metro rail into reality.

If metro rail comes, residents will have a reliable, economical and comfortable means of public transport. This will automatically reduce reliance on private vehicles, reduce traffic chaos and to some extent bring down pollution levels.

As per the plan it is proposed to have a rapid transit light metro system for Bhopal Metro. There will be a total of 89 stations in 3 corridors covering a distance of 35 kilometres. The estimated cost of this project comes to around ₹80 billion (US$1.2 billion) approximately. The Bhopal metro will have three way system involving road, underground and bridges as part of the plan. The expected ridership is pegged at around 2, 20,000 riders per day.

Patna Metro | Bihar cabinet approves constitution of SPV

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27/09/2018

Patna Metro | Bihar cabinet approves constitution of SPV

Patna: Patna Metro project gets a push with Bihar government giving approval for constitution of special purpose vehicle (SPV) – Patna Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (PMRCL). This SPV will look after the implementation of the metro project in the capital.

This decision has come on Tuesday in a meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar. The cabinet gave green signal for SPV and has also approved authorised capital of Rs 2,000 crore for PMRCL.

During a press briefing, Cabinet Secretariat department’s Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar stated that Urban Development and Housing Department’s Principal Secretary will be heading the SPV while representatives of Finance, Road, Transport and Energy departments will be the members of its board of directors.

The managing director for PMRCL will be nominated by the state government. Even the revised detailed project report (DPR) submitted by RITES, will now be tabled in state cabinet for approval.

The DRP was submitted to Urban Development and Housing department a week back. As per the department once the DPR is approved in cabinet, it will be sent to the central government for approval.

Devised DPR has to be submitted after central government introduced new metro policy. Prior to this preliminary DPR was already sent to state government for approval for metro rail project.

The metro rail project will have two corridors during the first phase. In the first corridor will be between Saguna Mor-Bailey Road-Patna Junction- Mithapur bus stand
In the second corridor will be from Patna junction to proposed bus stand at Bairiya on Patna-Gaya road

Now that the approval has come, people in Bihar can look forward to travelling in metro soon. This will improve public transport and also ease traffic on roads.

Eyes will now be on the approval from state cabinet and central government. Once all permissions are given, the Patna Metro rail project will finally be put on track by PMRCL.

Delhi Metro | Test run started on Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar stretch

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26/09/2018

Delhi Metro | Test run started on Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar stretch

Delhi: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is working tirelessly to improve connectivity via metro network. It has now started conducting trial runs on the 9.7Km stretch of the Pink Line. This stretch has five stations and will connect Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar.

DMRC has started trail runs on this stretch after connecting Delhi’s shopping hubs in the city. The Delhi Metro Pink Line will also include Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station.

The trials have started between Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar Pocket – 1. This stretch is part of 59-km long Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar corridor that is also branded as the Pink Line.

Managing director of DMRC Mangu Singh flagged off the trail runs that began on Wednesday.

As per the floor plan, this route is a continuation of the currently operational Majlis Park – Lajpat Nagar section. Once this line opens, it will greatly benefit for metro commuters from Ashram, Mayur Vihar etc.

Interestingly, the Hazrat Nizamuddin Metro station will service the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station. It will also cater to the Inter-State Bus Terminal at Sarai Kale Khan.

In trail runs officials conduct checks to ensure that there is no physical breach with civil infrastructure throughout the movement of the train on the track. As per DMRC official testing of various sub-systems of coaches shall also be conducted.

Rigorous testing will also be done on the new signaling technology known as Communication Based Train Control (CBTC). This system is employed on the Pink and Magenta Lines.

Monitoring will be done on the response of the train at different speeds, the interconnection with the Operations Control Center and braking of the train. The Over Head Electrification and behavior of the track system will be checked during the trail runs as per the DMRC officials.

Delhi Metro map 1 — Source: https://static-news.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2018/09/Delhi-Metro-map.png

The five stations between Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 will be:

Vinoba Puri
Ashram
Hazrat Nizamuddin
Mayur Vihar-I
Mayur Vihar Pocket-1

Mayur Vihar-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 are elevated metro stations. While the other three three stations are underground. This stretch also consists of one interchange at Mayur Vihar -I.

If the trail run goes well, this stretch will be made operational by October.

Delhi Metro | Magenta Line services hit after a bird stuck on track

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26/09/2018

Delhi Metro | Magenta Line services hit after a bird stuck on track

Delhi: Services on the Magenta Line of Delhi Metro were temporarily hit.A bird was apparently stuck on the metro tracks. The train was halted when it saw a bird lying on the track at Kalindi Kunj metro station.

The information came from a Wildlife Conservation NGO. Services were stopped to rescue the bird safely. The bird collapsed on the tracks.

As per Wasim Akram, Manager, Wildlife SOS Special Projects stated that the Indian cormorant is under mandated medical observation to ensure it recuperates safely from the ordeal

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) informed the NGO and altered them about the bird. One of the train operators from Magenta Line saw the bird lying on the tracks. It was struggling to fly and has to be rescued. The metro train was stopped to save the bird as the operator felt the train would run over it and kill it.

Once informed, a team of two rescuers reached on the spot with necessary equipment. As per the NGO the bird was shifted to a transport container and rushed to a recovery facility.

As per the information on NDTV, a new portal – The bird known as the Indian cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis) is found mainly along the inland waters of the Indian subcontinent, extending to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. These birds inhabit ponds, lakes, streams, mangroves and wetlands, and feed mainly on fish. They make short dives into the water to catch fish and often forage in groups

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS while speaking to NDTV said,”We believe the cormorant had wandered out of the Okhla Bird Sanctuary, which is located close by.”

The Okhla Bird Sanctuary, a famous spot in Delhi is home to over 320 residents and migratory bird species. It also has many other wildlife species.

Jaipur Metro | JMRC likely to advance on Second Phase of metro

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26/09/2018

Jaipur Metro | JMRC likely to advance on Second Phase of metro

Jaipur: The Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) is likely to advance to the second phase of metro project. This despite the fact that the first phase is largely held as non-viable in its current format by the CAG. But that is not stopping JMRC to initiate Jaipur Metro Phase II plan.

JMRC plans to go ahead with second phase with the current capacities it has. The state urban development department is confident of taking things ahead and it does not foresee any halt to the project at the present state. They are optimistic even as chance of any financial assistance from government in the centre is bleak.

Additional chief secretary, urban development shared that the project cannot be halted at the moment. They have to initiative work on second phase in order to reinstate feasibility to the project.

According to a report in DNA, a news portal- It has been accepted by the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation that the DMRC has used inflated population estimates while preparing initial detailed project report of the metro. A recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) office has also raised an objection on the selection of the first phase for implementation. The report has suggested that JMRC must look for alternative arrangements like light rail transport for its second phase. The revenue generation for the first phase of the metro has been largely short in comparison to its operational cost. However, JMRC officials insist on the necessity of a medium-scale metro for Jaipur.

A senior JMRC official states the even the latest survey with rectified population figures suggest the requirement of an additional medium-metro corridor from Sitapura to VKI.

The metro officials are unwilling to implement an economic light rail transit system for the second phase. Given the fact that the arrangement for funding the project is going to be one challenging task for the government.

With a nonexistence unified metropolitan transport authority, the state is not likely to get financial assistance from central government for the Jaipur metro.

The state government has been trying to chase the government at the centre for a 20 per cent share in the Jaipur Metro. This process unfortunately remains pending in absence of due dealings at end of state government.

Chief Minister witnesses the first TBM breakthrough of Mumbai Metro 3

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25/09/2018

Chief Minister witnesses the first TBM breakthrough of Mumbai Metro 3

Mumbai: Mumbai, September 24, 2018 – The Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra State Mr Devendra Fadnavis, today, witnessed the breakthrough of the first TBM of

CM @Dev_Fadnavis was at the First breakthrough of TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) for 33.5 km long fully underground @MumbaiMetro line 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) at T2, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. Minister @Ranjitpatil_Mos too present. pic.twitter.com/5QWrajfBGc
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) September 24, 2018

Metro-3 corridor at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal-2 station. Wainganga 1, the Tunnel Boring Machine, which was commissioned on 8 January 2018 from Pali ground Marol completed its tunnel drive of 1.26-km in package 7 to see the light at its end at CSMIA T2 station.

It marks the achievement of an important milestone towards the coherent completion of the 33.5-km long Metro-3 corridor. It is the result of blood and sweat expended by a team of nearly 250 engineers, technical and mechanical workers together. ” The state government has embarked upon its journey to complete 270 km long comprehensive Metro network over next 3 to 4 years and Metro 3 is an important part of the same.

I am extremely pleased to witness the first TBM breakthrough achieved by Metro 3 team today. It is no doubt an important step towards a safer, more comfortable and faster mode of transport to be made available to Mumbai citizens, ” said the visibly happy Chief Minister Mr.Devendra Fadnavis. Wainganga 1, made its way through the rocky strata made of Basalt, Breccia and Tuff drilling relentlessly for exactly 259 days to attain the breakthrough which will now be remembered for a long time and will certainly be lettered in the history book of the corridor.

It has charted its course from under important infrastructure like Metro Line-1 and Sahar Elevated Road. The 92-meter long Wainganga bored, on an average, 4.6 meters daily shaping the tunnel with 901 RCC cement rings. Metro-3 corridor in its 4.157 km long package 7 spread between CSMIA T 2 station to the ramp at Aarey colony will provide access to Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro-1 at Marol Naka and Swami Samarth Nagar-Jogeshwari-Kanjurmarg-Vikhroli Metro-6 corridor at SEEPZ and also to business hubs like MIDC and SEEPZ which today are not connected by suburban rail.

Of course, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) hasn’t achieved the feat without its share of challenges at various levels, hard work and colourful rancour! “Team MMRC could overcome the challenges only with a strong support from Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Mr.Devendra Fadnavis, his very effective War Room and all other stakeholders”, concluded Ms.Bhide.

MMRC, as of today, has completed about 9-km of tunnelling and has generated and disposed of 19,40,254 cubic meters of muck. For the purpose, 17 Tunnel Boring Machines have been lowered in ten TBM shafts and 14 of them have been commissioned. The remaining three will join the squad to drill through the underbelly of the city in the next month.

13 KM in just 11 minutes, Delhi green corridor helps transport liver from airport to hospital

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25/09/2018

13 KM in just 11 minutes, Delhi green corridor helps transport liver from airport to hospital

New Delhi: A police report said that special green corridor was created in the peak traffic hours by the Delhi Traffic Police to transport a harvested liver from the airport to a city hospital, covering a distance of 13 KM in just 11 minutes. The corridor was started at 6.40 pm from terminal-3 of the airport to Institute of Liver and Biliary Science Hospital in Vasant Kunj.

According to officer report the total distance covered was 13 km and time taken was just 11 minutes which would have otherwise taken around 45 minutes to an hour, Alok Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) said. On September 24, the liver was transported from Patna to New Delhi by Jet Airways Flight at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The liver had to be planted into the recipient within four hours of its retrieval from the donor. The patient was suffering from a liver disease and a liver transplant was required for the same, said police.

13 KM in just 11 minutes, Delhi green corridor helps transport liver from airport to hospital. A police officer said that the special green corridor was created in the peak traffic hours by the Delhi Traffic Police to transport a harvested liver from the airport to a city hospital, covering a distance of 13 KM in just 11 minutes.

Hyderabad Metro | Services start on Ameerpet-L BNagar route

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25/09/2018