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Centre Sanctions Rs 830 Bn for 30 Railway Projects in Telangana

2023-09-04

The Central government has given its approval for 30 railway projects in Telangana, including the construction of 15 new railway lines, with a combined budget of Rs 835.43 billion, as confirmed by Union Tourism and Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy. Speaking to the press, he expressed concerns about the delay in these projects due to the "non-cooperation" of the state government, which has resulted in the halt of railway track laying covering over 700 kilometres.

Reddy urged the state government to expedite land acquisition for these railway initiatives and also requested support for projects like Phase II of the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) in Hyderabad, alleging the state's non-cooperation.

Despite the challenges posed by the state administration, Reddy emphasised that the Modi government is dedicated to Telangana's development and the welfare of its people.

Recently, the Railways approved the modernisation and redevelopment of 40 railway stations in Telangana, with the Prime Minister virtually laying the foundation for 21 of them. Reddy disclosed that the Central government has disbursed Rs 23 billion for the redevelopment of these stations.

Drawing a comparison, Reddy highlighted that the UPA government between 2004 and 2014 approved only five projects with a total allocation of Rs 101.92 billion, covering just 714 kilometres of new railway lines in Telangana. In contrast, the Modi government has given the green light to 30 projects, encompassing the construction of 5,239 kilometres of new railway lines in the state.

Furthermore, he noted that under the Modi government, the annual laying of new railway lines in Telangana has increased significantly, from 17 kilometres per year before 2014 to 55 kilometres currently.