HYDERABAD — Authorities overseeing the city's Metro Rail expansion announced this week that land acquisition for the Old City corridor is progressing rapidly, marking the third distinct phase of land acquisition that has been described, at various points over the past twelve years, as nearly finished.

Compensation cheques worth Rs 212 crore have been distributed to 205 of the 1,100 affected properties on the 7.5 km stretch between MG Bus Station and Chandrayangutta, officials said, adding that the remaining 895 properties were at various stages of the process. Several buildings have already been demolished and debris cleared, they noted, describing the pace as smooth.

The announcement was made by the Managing Director of Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited, who also served as Managing Director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited when the agency declared in December 2013 that land acquisition for the Metro was complete. At the time, the government confirmed it had acquired 269 acres, spent Rs 900 crore, and demolished approximately 1,800 properties. The MD described the remaining 40 properties as a minor formality.

By 2017, approximately 200 properties remained unacquired across two of the three corridors, according to reporting by [thehindu.com](https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/land-acquisition-process-hinders-metro-project/article19241789.ece). Funds allocated for compensation had dried up. District Collectors were asked to treat the matter as a priority. In 2021, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation drew up a fresh action plan to acquire more than 500 additional properties by December of that year.

"The land acquisition and demolition of affected properties are being carried out extensively with the full cooperation of local residents," the MD said in a statement issued Sunday, appreciating property owners for voluntarily coming forward. He noted that the pace of work had slowed slightly during Ramzan but had since picked up momentum.

Officials confirmed that Metro construction on the Old City stretch would begin as soon as approval was received from the Central Government, which has not yet been received. Lidar drone surveys, physical inspections, and innovative engineering solutions to protect 103 religious and sensitive structures are complete. The properties are being acquired for a corridor whose construction has not been formally approved.

Asked whether the current acquisition phase would itself be declared complete before a subsequent phase became necessary, a senior official said the matter was being monitored closely and that progress was being made in a phased manner.