Centre plans Rs 719 cr makeover for secundrabad station

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy said on Monday that the Centre has decided to redevelop the Secundrabad Railway station with an outlay of Rs 719 crore.

Addressing the media, after inspecting the proposed re-development of the station along with South Central Railway officials, he said, the station constructed in 1874 was one of the oldest stations in the country.

Reddy stated that currently, the State capital has Secundrabad, Kacheguda and Nampally stations.The ever-increasing passenger traffic was mounting pressure on Secundrabad, the biggest station in Telangana. Against this backdrop it was decided to re-develop the station keeping in view the commuters' needs for 40 years.

As part of the same, the Centre has already agreed to add the Cherlapally Railway terminal in addition to the three stations. Its work would be completed by this December or in January-February of 2023. The Railway Board had approved the DPR relating to the re-development of Secundrabad station. Tenders have been finalised. "Currently, soil testing, architectural planning and designing are going on. The proposed new station will have modern technology-enabled facilities taking care of the needs of all sections of passengers, including differently-abled.

Currently, he said, the Secundrabad station area was 28,286 sft. It will be replaced with the proposed re-development in 1,65,656 sft. The north and south terminals will be developed in three phases; the station would be 50 meters high. Separate inflow and outflow of passengers, granite-paved platforms, RTC buses and private vehicle parking would not face problems. Also, there will be multi-level parking of G+4 on the side of the northern terminal.

The re-developed stations will be dotted with 26 lifts, 32 escalators and elavators to move from one point to another for senior citizens as is currently practised in airports.

Once completed, it will be one of the best railway stations in the south, Reddy stated.

As the Secundrabad station is busiest one it is not possible to take up the re-development at one go without affecting the current operations. Against this backdrop, it was decided to complete the first phase in 16 months; the second phase in 28 months and all three phases within 36 months. He said the Centre was prepared to improve railways in Telangana. However, Reddy sought the State government's cooperation for speedy implementation of the Warangal Railway Wagons Periodical Overhauling Workshop, MMTS II phase. "I have written to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to speed up the land acquisition for early implementation of railway projects. The SCR officials have also written to the Chief Secretary." Reddy reiterated that a Vande Bharat Express would be starting from Secundrabad to Vijayawada. The Centre has asked the railways to explore the feasibility to extend it to Tirupati. He said the Secundrabad-Mahhubnagar electrification and doubling of the railway line of 85 km has been completed, The work on Siddipet line has been speeded.

"The Centre is committed to providing rail connectivity to Karimnagar, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda. It is prepared to sanction MMTS III phase extension from Ghatkesar to Yadadri, provided the State provides land. Responding to a question, SCR General Manager Arun Kumar Jain said the railways has called for expression of interest for setting up a 24-hour medical facility on platform no 10. The facility will have an ambulance and emergency medical attendance for patients.