Hyderabad: The Telangana Budget has allocated Rs 50 crore for the MMTS Phase-II project. This has given daily passengers hope that the remaining work will speed up. The project has been moving slowly due to delays in the release of funds from the state government. Passengers are urging the South Central Railways to complete the final phase of work between Moula Ali, Malkajgiri, and Sitaphalmandi, which would allow for direct train operations to Kacheguda.
Daily passengers and members of the Suburban Train Travelers Association are optimistic that the project will be completed soon. The project is in its final phase, needing only the doubling and electrification of the Moula Ali – Malkajgiri – Sitaphalmandi line. However, this work has been very slow for the past two years.
Noor Ahmed, president of the LT & MMTS Suburban Train Travelers Association, said that commuters are eagerly waiting for the completion of Phase-II services. The northern and eastern parts of the city lack proper connectivity, and suburban train services are cheaper than other public transport options. Once the chord line is laid between Lallaguda and Sitaphalmandi, traveling to Kacheguda Railway Station will be much easier.
M Krishna, a daily rail passenger, mentioned that the MMTS Phase-II work has been slow since 2014 due to delayed funds. Once completed, the new services will benefit many people and help reduce traffic congestion in the city.
According to the South Central Railway, the project is a joint effort between the Ministry of Railways and the Telangana government, with costs shared between them. The original cost was Rs 816.55 crore, but it has now escalated to Rs 1,150 crore due to delays. The state government needs to deposit Rs 760 crore, but so far has only deposited Rs 379 crore. The Railways has invested around Rs 580 crore, which is double its share, while the state government has fallen short.
Despite the funding delays, some sections of the project have been completed. These include the Malkajgiri – Bolarum double line electrification, Tellapur – Ramchandrapuram, Medchal-Bolarum doubling, Moula Ali – Ghatkesar quadrupling, Falaknuma-Umdanagar doubling, and Sanathnagar – Moula Ali.
Currently, work is ongoing for the Moula Ali – Malkajgiri – Sitaphalmandi doubling and electrification. A chord line is also being laid between Lallaguda and Sitaphalmandi, which will allow for direct train operations towards Kacheguda.
