HYDERABAD: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday flagged off a new daily express train service from Hyderabad (Kacheguda) to Jodhpur (Bhagat Ki Kothi) in Rajasthan.
The new train (17605), starting Sunday, will depart from Kacheguda at 11:50 pm and arrive at Bhagat Ki Kothi at 8 pm the following day. On the return journey, the train (17606) will leave Bhagat Ki Kothi at 10:30 pm and reach Kacheguda at 3:40 pm.
Speaking on the occasion, Ashwini Vaishnaw said that a daily train service between Hyderabad and Jodhpur had been a long-cherished dream of the Rajasthani community living in Hyderabad. He noted that the service could not be launched earlier due to infrastructure constraints. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has witnessed significant progress in rail infrastructure, including the laying of new tracks and construction of new stations. This, he said, has enabled the launch of the direct daily service.
Kishan Reddy emphasised that Telangana has seen unprecedented infrastructure development in recent years. “Forty railway stations in Telangana are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Of these, the Prime Minister recently inaugurated the upgraded stations at Begumpet, Warangal, and Karimnagar,” he said. He also noted that the state’s entire rail network has now been electrified.
The event was attended by South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, BJP Telangana president N. Ramachander Rao, and other dignitaries.
Earlier in the day, Vaishnaw met with officials to discuss strategies for doubling the capacity of railway operations in the Hyderabad region. Along with Kishan Reddy, he reviewed plans to further enhance rail infrastructure and connectivity across Telangana.
Highlighting Hyderabad as a focal point for railway development, Vaishnaw instructed the SCR general manager to increase the number of trains operating in the city from 600 to 1,200 per day. “With the ongoing redevelopment of Secunderabad railway station, officials have been directed to plan a multi-hub model, where several stations across the city will serve as regional connectors—linking the east, west, north, and south,” he added.