HYDERABAD: It’s official now. Telangana will neither be getting a railway coach factory at Kazipet nor a bullet train between Secunderabad and Mumbai in the near future. During an interaction with the MPs from Telangana, South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager Gajanan Mallya on Tuesday said that the Indian Railways has no interest in investing in a coach factory, which was originally proposed to be set up in Kazipet.
With regard to the bullet train, he said that the Rilways may consider the proposal only after observing how the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project will pan out.The general manager revealed the Railways’ plans when Nalognda district MPs sought a bullet train between Secunderabad and Vijayawada instead of one between Secunderabad and Mumbai. He said the railway coach factory also does not interest the railways as it is not feasible. He also said that several projects remained incomplete because of the State government’s failure in providing its share of funds.
Later briefing the media, Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that he has requested for a bullet train between the two Telugu states. During an elaborate discussion on the railway coach factory, the Congress leader said that since most components are imported, it was better to manufacture in India as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme. Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said that the Congress will press for these demands in the next Parliamentary sessions.
Manwhile, TRS MP from Khammam, Nama Nageswar Rao called upon the MPs of the State cutting across party lines to keep up a joint fight to get what is due to the State.Nizambad BJP MP D Arvind put the onus on the State government for delay in pending projects as funds were not being released on time. He alleged that the State government has failed to release any funds to projects in Nizamabad district. He wondered how some MPs openly sought funds from the Centre for a textile park in place of coach factory.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi asked the SCR to develop Nampally station on par with Ahmedabad. Besides extension of MMTS trains from Falaknuma to Umdanagar, he asked the railways to increase security measures for women travelling between Falaknuma and Lingampally. “Some unsocial elements are pestering women,” he said.
Some other MPs who were present on the occasion included Dr G Ranjith Reddy (Chevella), Malothu Kavitha (Mahbubabad), Manne Srinivas Reddy (Mahbubnagar), K Prabhakar Reddy (Medak), P Ramulu (Nagarkurnool) and Umesh G Jadhav (Gulbarga).