Another stretch of Hyderabad's ORR gets ready

Traffic on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) stretch from Peddamberpet to Shamshabad will be allowed soon, but sans toll tax. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has decided to throw the stretch open to the general traffic after chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy inspected the 38-km stretch on Friday and expressed satisfaction over the works. “We will allow traffic after taking certain measures from traffic safety point of view. A joint inspection of HMDA and Cyberabad police will be done very soon,” HMDA metropolitan commissioner Rajeshwar Tiwari said. Kiran Kumar Reddy told media that another stretch of ORR between Narsingi and Patancheru will be ready by April 2011. He said he had asked the officials to complete the work at least by March 2011. “The entire 158-km ORR will be completed by December 2012 and the works are being completed as per the schedule. If the ORR is completed, it would be probably the longest ORR in the country,” he said.
On the toll tax collection on the newly completed stretch and already completed 24-km stretch between Gachibowli and Shamshabad, Kiran Kumar Reddy said, “No decision has been taken on the toll tax now. Let the ORR be completed in full shape.” He said of the total Rs 7,000 crore of the project cost, Rs 3,500 crore worth works had been completed. Kiran Kumar Reddy said those who lost land due to ORR were given good compensation, considering the present land market rates. The pending cases in the Supreme Court against land acquisition for the ORR were being dealth with the attorney general, he said.