Hyderabad: The operational break even for Metro rail project here may be delayed by one to two years due to varied reasons, including decrease in footfalls after bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, a senior official of Hyderabad Metro rail said.

Managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd, the implementing agency of the project, NVS Reddy said bifurcation of the state has neither impacted the project nor will it in the near future as the city has overcome initial glitches post bifurcation.

"There is not much impact on the project post bifurcation. At the most, the operational break even may be delayed by one or two years. Initially, we estimated that the operations would achieve break even in four to five years. Now, it may be slightly delayed to six to seven years in the changing scenario," Reddy told reporters on Saturday.

Telangana with Hyderabad as capital was carved out of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2014.

Hyderabad would be the joint capital for both states for a period of not exceeding more than 10 years, as per Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. "Hyderabad as a business hub would never change," he added.

The senior official said works related to the projects are going as per schedule and the government has received technical viability reports with regard to realignment of route at two places.

Expressing confidence that the project would be as per schedule, he said the entire project would become operational by June 2017, as targeted earlier.

He said the two routes - Nagole-Secunderabad and Miyapur-Panjagutta may start early next year.

Larsen & Toubro Hyderabad Metro Rail Pvt Ltd is an L&T subsidiary, which is developing the metro with an investment of Rs 14,132 crore.

The total cost is Rs 16,375 crore (Rs 14,132 crore for the metro rail system and another Rs 2,243 crore for the real estate development).