About 1,500 km of new-line, doubling and tripling projects worth ₹24,210 crore are under way in the South Central Railway zone, General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava said on Thursday.
At a meeting with Members of Parliament from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka whose constituencies fall under the SCR jurisdiction, Srivastava outlined the zone’s performance in passenger services, freight loading, passenger amenities at railway stations, cleanliness at stations and trains, and other initiatives.
Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy and 15 MPs attended the meeting held at Rail Nilayam here, a press release from SCR said.
Srivastava said the SCR now comprises three divisions-Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Nanded-following a reorganisation in June. Despite the restructuring, the zone had maintained its momentum, achieved its targets and surpassed its performance of the previous year, he said.”1,481 km of new-line, doubling and tripling projects are currently under progress at ₹24,210.179 crore,” he said.
Srivastava said 40 railway stations in Telangana were being redeveloped at a cost of more than ₹2,000 crore.
Four stations-Hi-Tech City, Begumpet, Karimnagar and Warangal-had already been inaugurated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, while work at the remaining stations was progressing, he said.He said four pairs of new trains and five pairs of Amrit Bharat trains had been introduced since April. Fourteen trains had been extended to various terminals, 56 trains provided with additional stoppages and 30 pairs regularised.
The MPs appreciated the initiatives taken by the SCR and raised issues related to railway development works and services in their respective constituencies.
Their demands covered construction of road underbridges and road overbridges, new railway lines, introduction of new trains, additional stoppages for existing trains, extension of train services and improved passenger amenities, the release said.
The MPs urged the SCR to expedite infrastructure projects to ensure their completion within the targeted timelines.
Their suggestions and views would be given due consideration while formulating proposals for new works and services, Srivastava said.
