Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, announced a major railway infrastructure development project worth Rs 33,000 crore under the South Central Railway (SCR). He shared this news during a media interaction after reviewing the progress of railway projects in the SCR’s jurisdiction. The review was conducted alongside Members of Parliament from Telangana and Karnataka.
Reddy criticized the Telangana State government for not cooperating with the railway development efforts. He pointed out that the State had failed to contribute its share of Rs 800 crore towards the project.
Despite this setback, the central government has decided to move forward with the second phase of the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS). This includes the Ghatkesar–Yadadri MMTS extension, which will cost an additional Rs 650 crore. Reddy emphasized that the project will help people traveling from Hyderabad to the Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple.
During the meeting, several MPs raised concerns about the development of railway services in their constituencies. These issues included the construction of new railway lines, adding new trains, and improving facilities like Road Over Bridges (RoBs) and Road Under Bridges (RUBs). They also discussed providing additional halts for existing trains and enhancing passenger amenities.
Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager of SCR, gave updates on the railway’s current performance. Reddy highlighted that SCR has added 415 km of new and doubled railway lines. He also mentioned that 40 stations are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme with a budget of Rs 2,635 crore. Furthermore, efforts are underway to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of 90% electrification of the railway tracks under SCR.
