L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd has introduced a smart card, which can serve as a single interface for various other modes of transport, including bus, and cabs, and an app named Tsavari, which provides quick interface for metro services.

Announcing the launch, KT Rama Rao, Telangana Industries and IT Minister, and Shivanand Nimbargi, MD & CEO of LT Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd, said that the smart card has the capability to integrate 16 different services. Other services will gradually be integrated with the card.

After conducting a trial run on a metro stretch here today, three days ahead of the formal launch by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Telangana Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao, on November 28 at 2.15 pm, the Minister said that this was the biggest public-private-partnership project taken up in the country in urban transport over a stretch of 72 km.

“This will bring about a major change in public transport system in the city. While the 30-km stretch, which is the longest such launch at one go by any metro in the country, will be operational from Wednesday, November 29, the entire project is expected to be completed by mid-2019,” he said.

Asked about cost escalation, Rao said, “The Government and L&T were in discussions about it and it would not be appropriate to share the details at this point.”

He said that buses, and electric vehicles, through partnerships will be introduced in a phased manner for transport to metro stations. Soon bicycle stations close to metros would also be introduced.

Lauding NVS Reddy, MD, Hyderabad Metro Rail, and his team and L&T for its work in bringing the project to this stage,Rao hoped that people will bear with some minor teething troubles they may face when such a large project gets commissioned.

“This project is an example of engineering and financial innovation attempted in PPP mode. While the project gets going, we will soon work on phase two of the project which will connect other locations,” he said.

Ahead of the formal launch of the project, L&T, the concessionaire launched Swatch Metro campaign which highlights My City, My Metro and My Pride, whose objective is to seek people's support in keeping metro clean.

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