HYDERABAD: Strengthening the railway infrastructure in Telangana is top priority to the central government, Union minister for railways Piyush Goyal said here on Friday. Speaking at the Secunderabad railway station after launching various passenger amenities and flagging of the Kacheguda-Nizamabad passenger train whose run has been extended up to Karimnagar, Goyal said that while Telangana used to have railway investment and projects worth about `258 crore in one year, the NDA government this year allocated `1,813 crore for capital investment for railway works in the state.
He expressed happiness at the pace of railway development in the state being undertaken by the South Central Railway. “Telangana witnessed best rail development in the last four years with the capital investment on railway projects rising from Rs 258 crore in 2014 to `1,813 crore in the current fiscal 2018-19, a staggering increase of over 600 percent.”
The Mumbai LTT- Nizamabad Express would be extended to Karimnagar shortly, he said and added that he would discuss with the Railway Board several developmental works and creation of a railway terminal at Cheralpally on the city’s outskirts. For easy access to the Secunderabad railway station from the nearest metro rail station, a skywalk would be constructed, he announced following a request from Nizamabad MP K.Kavitha who was present at the programme. And, steps will be taken to build a multi level car parking facility near Ganesh temple towards Platform No.1 of Secunderabad station.
Dedicating two passenger lifts on Platforms, No.1 and 10, at Secunderabad, laying the foundation stone for the fourth foot overbridge (FoB) at Secunderabad station. Receive Platinum Green Rating Certificate to Secunderabad station from CII-IGBC (the first ever station in India), dedicating 400 KWP solar power plant at Kacheguda station were among his other programmes. The minister also dedicated passenger lift on Platform 4/5 at Kacheguda, inaugurated bio-toilets on Platform numbers 2/3 and 4/5 at Kacheguda, inaugurated two escalators on Platforms 1 and 5/6 at Hyderabad station. The Peddapalli-Karimnagar-Nizamabad new rail line project was sanctioned in 1994.