HYDERABAD: Telangana has been allocated half of what Andhra Pradesh and Odisha received for railway projects in the Union Budget 2023-24.
The South Central Railway has been allocated a gross amount of Rs 13,786.19 crore compared to Rs 8,349.75 crore for the year 2022-23. The total budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/partly in Telangana is Rs 4,418 crore as against Rs 3,048 crore last year. Though there were many demands from the State government, Centre did not include any new projects for the State and all the allocations have been given for ongoing projects.
Whereas for AP, the Centre has allocated Rs 8,406 crore as against Rs 7,032 crore in 2022-23, a 20 per cent increase. The budget allocations to Andhra Pradesh have been witnessing a steady increase with current year’s allocation being almost 9.5 times the average allocation made during 2009-14. Even for Odisha, where the population is similar to that of Telangana, the Centre has made a budgetary allocation of Rs 10,000 crore.
An amount of Rs 345 crore has been allocated for the Munirabad-Mahbubnagar new line project. The 244-km project was sanctioned in 1997-98 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,723 crore. Out of 244 km, 68 km falls under the jurisdiction of SCR (Telangana), while the remaining 178 km passes through Karnataka.
Rs 160 cr allocated for overhaul works at Kazipet
A sum of Rs 337.52 crore has been allocated for Kazipet - Vijayawada 3rd line project. The 3rd line project was sanctioned in 2012-13 for a distance of 220 km at an estimated cost of Rs 1,953 crore. The section between Vijayawada - Cheruvumadhavram for a distance of 19.2 km has been completed. The work in the remaining sections is progressing well.
An amount of Rs 160 crore has been allocated for POH workshop at Kazipet and Rs 450.86 crore for Kazipet - Balharshah 3rd line project. It was sanctioned at a cost of Rs 2,063 crore. The Centre has allocated Rs 82 crore for the development of satellite terminal at Cherlapally station. Only Rs 20 crore were allotted for Bhadrachalam-Kovvur line and Rs 10 crore for Manuguru-Ramagundam project. Both of these projects cost Rs 5,000 crore.