Retail outlets, food chains, banks sign up with L&T Hyderabad Metro

A number of retail outlets, food chains and banks have signed up with L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd to set up a base in the metro rail stations coming up in the city.

Those who have signed include SBI, which will have one ATM in every metro rail station, MedPlus, one outlet in every station, Bank of Baroda and Corporation Bank in some of the stations.

According to Sanjay Kapoor of L&T Hyderabad Metro, other brands include Dominos, Politos, MedPlus, Amul, and even hair cut saloon chain, who have entered into a memorandum of understanding for their outlets.

The 72-km stretch across three corridors of elevated metro rail project will have 64 stations wherein there is a facility to set up such outlets and services facilities by banks.

There is huge demand for space in stations and a number of other companies and chains are at advanced stage of finalising the memorandum, he said.

The metro project, which has a transit-oriented development (TOD) commercial space coming up along with these stations and a metro line, is planning to develop 18.5 million sq.ft, in a phased manner.

Of this, 1.1 million sq.ft would be ready by December and operational by March 2016. Hyper City, Shoppers Stop, and PVR multiplex chain are among others at advanced stage of finalisation of their plans. Already 40 per cent space has been booked, VB Gadgil, Chief Executive of L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad, said.

NVS Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd, said the project was on course to be ready by 2017, as per schedule. The issue relating to alignment change in three locations is under consideration as the feasibility is now underway.