It is not just state-of-the-art technology that the Hyderabad Metro Rail is all about. It’s also about ‘poetry in concrete’, which Metro Rail boss NVS Reddy has been focusing on. Over 2,500 pillars on the 72-km stretch would be decked up with art work depicting the history and culture of Telangana State.
Eighteen local artists, on the invitation of the Hyderabad Metro Rail, are working overtime for the last few months on different themes ranging from festivals, flora and fauna, dance forms and portraits of eminent personalities who contributed to the development of the region.
Artist Faqruddin worked on lambada women, Haribabu painted the Golconda Fort and Charminar, B Srikanth, who specialises in landscapes, worked on the wildlife.
Two sides of the pillar facing the traffic would be used by L&T Metro Rail for advertising while the remaining sides would be used for artwork. To beat the monotony, every fifth pillar would be used for vertical gardens. A team specially appointed to look into the artworks would be taking a final call.
An expert, who viewed the paintings, gave his feedback and made a few suggestions. B N Rajeshwar, general manager, Hyderabad Metro Rail, said, “We would be zeroing in on a few works. There are quite a few samples. The idea is to reflect Telangana culture and history, monuments, rockscape and landscape, wildlife and traditional art.” Rocks that are integral part of Hyderabad would also find a place of prominence.
“The Metro rail would not only be people-friendly but also eco-friendly,” said NVS Reddy. Sun-shadow analysis, sun path, research on plants that survive in Hyderabad has been done and the plantation too is being taken up keeping space for inclusion of art forms and sculptures. The art space planned aesthetically would feature ceramic, stone, terracotta, fibreglass artworks.
