SCR To Double Trains from Hyderabad by 2030
Hyderabad has three main terminals at Secunderabad, Kacheguda and Hyderabad, while Lingampalli and Charlapalli have been developed as satellite terminals to ease pressure on older stations.
Hyderabad: Indian Railways plans to nearly double the number of trains originating from Hyderabad and other major cities under South Central Railway (SCR) over the next five years, as part of a national push to manage rising passenger demand and ease congestion at saturated terminals. In Hyderabad, originating capacity is expected to expand significantly by 2030 through new terminals, upgraded maintenance facilities and increased line capacity across the twin cities.
Union minister of railways, information and broadcasting, and electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “We’re expanding coach terminals, enhancing sectional and operational capacities in various cities to meet rising passenger demand and reduce congestion. This move will upgrade our railway network and improve nationwide connectivity.”
Under SCR, Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Tirupati have been identified for expansion. In the Hyderabad twin-city area, around 85 mail, express and passenger trains originate from Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Kacheguda, Lingampalli and Charlapalli, along with 88 MMTS services. After planned additions, the system is expected to handle nearly double the present volume, with extra coaches on existing services.
Hyderabad has three main terminals at Secunderabad, Kacheguda and Hyderabad, while Lingampalli and Charlapalli have been developed as satellite terminals to ease pressure on older stations. Lingampalli now has other-end maintenance facilities, while Charlapalli has been upgraded with ten additional lines, four new high-level platforms, an intermediate overhauling shed, pit lines, other-end maintenance lines and shunting necks. The terminal can handle primary maintenance for ten rakes, secondary maintenance for three rakes and other-end maintenance for eight rakes, with scope for further expansion.
Plans are underway to develop mega coaching terminals on the north, south and west sides of the city. Maintenance facilities at Kacheguda are being expanded with new pit lines and stabling lines at a cost of ₹120 crore. A new coaching depot has been proposed in the twin-city area to maintain Vande Bharat rakes, along with a regional ring rail around the city.
Begumpet station, which handles both suburban and non-suburban traffic, has been redeveloped as an Amrit Station, with further work planned to raise capacity. Suburban stations including Hafizpet, Hitech City, Malakpet, Umdanagar, Medchal and Malkajgiri are also being redeveloped as Amrit stations to cater to higher footfall.
SCR said line capacity around Hyderabad is being increased. Permissible speeds on high-density routes and the Golden Quadrilateral and Golden Diagonal routes have been raised to 130 kmph. Construction of a third line on the Gudur–Vijayawada–Kazipet–Balharshah route over 750 km is nearing completion. The Secunderabad–Wadi third and fourth line project over 173 km has been sanctioned at ₹5,012 crore. Doubling works on the Mudkhed–Dhone section (418 km, ₹4,686 crore) and the Guntur–Bibinagar section (239 km, ₹2,853 crore) have begun. The MMTS phase-II extension to Yadadri has been sanctioned at ₹412 crore, and a rail-over-rail project at Pagidipalli approved at ₹264 crore.
A plan covering 48 major cities is under consideration to consolidate works that are planned, proposed or already sanctioned by Indian Railways.