HYDERABAD: The long-awaited Lallaguda-Sitaphalmandi chord rail line has been commissioned, promising to decongest Hyderabad’s railway network, reduce travel time and improve operational efficiency.
The 3-km chord line provides a direct rail link between Lallaguda and Sitaphalmandi, eliminating a long-standing bottleneck. In the first phase, eight pairs of trains, including the AP Sampark Kranti Express and Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express, have been notified to operate through the new route, a senior railway official told TNIE.
Until now, trains travelling from Kazipet to Kacheguda without entering Secunderabad station had to take a circuitous 15-km route via Moula Ali and Malkajgiri.The new bypass shortens the journey by about 12 km and saves nearly 30 minutes.
SCR Chief Public Relations Officer A Sridhar said the new alignment allows trains from Kazipet to reach Kacheguda directly without passing through Secunderabad and Malkajgiri,resulting in substantial savings in time and distance.
The corridor originates at Lallaguda, passes through Sitaphalmandi ‘B’ and ‘A’ cabins, and joins the existing line at Sitaphalmandi station. It includes a 1.8-km double-line section between Lallaguda and Sitaphalmandi ‘B’ cabin and a one-km connecting stretch to Sitaphalmandi ‘A’ cabin.
Railway officials said the project eliminates the need for trains from the Kazipet-Cherlapalli-Moula Ali section to take the longer circular route via Malkajgiri before heading towards Kacheguda and Bengaluru. Besides reducing travel time, it is expected to ease chronic congestion around Secunderabad Junction, where trains often waited for clearance.
The chord line also strengthens connectivity between the Kazipet, Nizamabad and Bengaluru routes by linking three of the five major rail corridors connected to Secunderabad Junction, improving operational flexibility and punctuality.
The project includes a Rail-over-Rail bridge at Alugadda Bavi, five minor bridges, a flyover and an automatic signalling system. Officials said the new infrastructure will also facilitate the introduction of additional MMTS services in future.