HMR project gets morale-boosting support from FTA

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) project has received a morale-boosting support from one of the most unexpected quarters the US Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Mr James S. Simpson, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration (FTA), US Department of Transportation, described the HMR project as “outstanding”, especially for the concession agreement under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

“This is one of the largest PPP projects in the world. It was really the way America was built over the last 100 years. The US Government granted land and other facilities for taking up infrastructure development by the private parties and now we see it here,” he said while addressing a press conference.

Mr Simpson said in Manhattan a metro rail system was being planned on the same lines as the HRM project. According to him, it was outstanding to have private sector’s dollars to spend for public service without casting any burden on the tax payers’ money.

He added that traffic was a major concern across the globe and the US was losing $100 billion every year because of traffic jams. “Considering the growing traffic, we have to measure the distance in time, not in kilometres. About $30 billion was being pumped into the public transport system,” he said.

The Andhra Pradesh Government, on the other hand, is looking at entering into a Memorandum of Cooperation with the FTA on public transport, which would involve strengthening and sharing of knowledge, science and technology in the sector.

The Managing Director of the HMR, Mr N.V.S. Reddy, said that the State Government would share the documentation of the concession agreement, including the manual of specifications and standards, with the FTA. “The FTA had researched mass transit projects, which would help the State implement projects like Bus Rapid Transit System and metro rail,” he said.

Mr Reddy also pointed out that head-hardened rails, high-speed rails and metro rail technology, manufacture and supply of coaches, and automatic fare collection points would be some of the areas of business opportunities that US companies can participate in once construction activities began.