Hyderabad: Members of Parliament from Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra under the jurisdiction of South Central Railway have demanded that the Railways take speedier action on the pending projects and initiate works on development of stations, as also on additional lines and new lines.
During a review meeting organised by the general manager of South Central Railway Vinod Kumar Yadav with the MPs on the ongoing railway projects, on Thursday, Rajya Sabha member Rapolu Anand Bhaskar criticised the Railways and said passengers were suffering due to the poor services. They are not getting even clean drinking water at SCR, and are paying money for purchase of bottled water at the stations, he said.
“During the rainy season, rail under bridges are getting water-logged. SCR should introduce rain water drains and cable line ducts. Work on the coach factory at Kazipet is pending for years and the SCR is urged to take up the project immediately. A new railway line is needed between Ghanpur and Suryapet stations, covering 120km, which will see a new rail line between New Delhi and Chennai,” he said.
Another Rajya Sabha member, Palvai Govardhan Reddy, asked the GM to start a new line from Gadwal to Tirupati. “For the convenience of the public from Mahbubnagar, the SCR is urged to introduce a new line between Hyderabad and Devarakonda. More revenue is generated from South India, but the Railways is not spending money for projects here. I am demanding that it spend more funds for development of infrastructure here, matching with the revenue earnings,” he said.
Mahabubabad MP Professor A. Sitaram Naik asked why the Railway ministry was not releasing more funds to the South even as the Southern region was providing 60 per cent of Railways’ revenue. “Although, I emphasized the same in Parliament, we are not getting justice. The SCR should concentrate on tribal areas. We need Kazipet as a division,” he said.
Nalgonda MP Mr. Gutha Sukender Reddy criticised the SCR for the lack of on passenger amenities. He demanded a new super-fast express between Hyderabad and Amaravathi. “The express should not go through Kazipet so as to save time as well as charges. A new line from Nalgonda to Macherla is a dream project since many years,” he said.
Nagarkurnool MP Mr. Nandi Yellaiah asked the GM for a new line between Gadwal and Macherla (124km) at an estimated cost of Rs. 920crore.
“If the SCR completes the line from Wanaparthy to Kalwakurthy via Nagarkurnool, it will help in employment generation on a big scale. If the SCR allows a stoppage at Moulali, the burden on the Secunderabad station will be reduced,” he said.
Medak MP K. Prabhakar Reddy asked for new ROBs at Masaipet and gearing up of the works of pending ROBs and lines. Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar sought special focus of the SCR in development of infrastructure at Tandur, Vikarabad, Shankarpally and Chevella railway stations.
Bhongir MP Dr. Boora Narsaiah Goud thanked the SCR for releasing more funds in the recent budget. “I request the SCR to introduce a stoppage for Charminar, Shatavahana and Simhadri expresses at Jangaon. A third line is needed between Yadadri and Kazipet and a double line between Bibinagar and Nadikudi.”
Adilabad MP Godam Nagesh and Peddapalli MP Balka Suman thanked the GM for supporting the Telangana state in getting more funds and asked the GM for improvement of infrastructure at railway stations.
Later, GM of SCR, Vinod Kumar Yadav told the media that the representations submitted by the MPs were more relevant to public convenience like development of infrastructure and new lines.
“We are concentrating on these issues. Stoppage of express trains is not in our limits to sanction, and we shall take the matter up with the Railway Board,” he said.
MPs Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar), Pasunoori Dayakar (Warangal), Dr. Sunil Baliram Gaikwad (Latur), B. V. Nayak (Raichur) and Garikapati Mohan Rao took part in the meeting.
MMTS Phase-II works to chug on smoothly
The general manager of South Central Railway Vinod Kumar Yadav on Thursday said impediments in MMTS Phase-II works with defence lands have been resolved with intervention of MPs from Telangana State.
A decade-long dream for city passengers, the phase-II of the Multi Model Transportation System (MMTS) has faced land acquisition problems till last month and Malkajgiri MP Ch. Malla Reddy took the initiative in getting approvals from the Ministry of Defence.
Malla Reddy told this newspaper that the 3.5km stretch between Neredmet and Suchitra was a major problem for the phase-II of MMTS railway lines. “I have requested the defence minister, railway minister and even the concerned officials to expedite the process of hand-over of the land. Based on the letters sent by me, both the ministries forwarded it to President Pranab Mukherjee in obtaining the NOC,” he said.
Vinod Kumar Yadav said work on the MMTS-II line between Moulali and Ghatkesar would commence by the end of this year and the entire project would be active by December 31, 2018.
