HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the MMTS (Multi-Modal Transport System) phase II routes and the Cherlapally railway terminal in Hyderabad within a week. The opening of these routes will provide relief to over two lakh people who travel daily between the suburbs and the city centre.
The MMTS phase II project, which was sanctioned in 2012, extends for 96 km in seven different sections. Of this, 45.4 km of rail network has been completed, while the remaining sections are under progress. The project aims to enhance the suburban rail connectivity and reduce the traffic congestion in the region.
The two sections that are ready for inauguration are Sanathnagar-Moula Ali and Secunderabad-Ghatkesar. The works pertaining to these sections were completed, while the commissioning was pending. The Sanathnagar-Moula Ali section will connect the IT hub of Hi-tech City with the industrial area of Moula Ali, while the Secunderabad-Ghatkesar section will cater to the commuters from the eastern suburbs.
According to railway officials, the original sanctioned cost of the project was 816.55 crore, which has now escalated to 1,150 crore due to delay in project execution for want of funds. The project is a cost-sharing venture between the railways and the state government, wherein one-third of the cost is to be borne by the railways, while two-third has to be shared by the state government. However, till date, the state government has only deposited 379 crore, while the railways has invested 580 crore.
The Cherlapally railway terminal, which is also part of the MMTS phase II project, is a state-of-the-art facility that will ease the load on the existing Secunderabad and Kacheguda railway stations. The terminal has six platforms, two pit lines, two stabling lines, and a coach maintenance depot. It also has a modern passenger amenities building, a foot over bridge, and a circulating area.
The inauguration of the MMTS phase II routes and the Cherlapally railway terminal by PM Modi is likely to boost the public transport infrastructure and the economic development of Hyderabad. The railway authorities have issued directives for the preparation of the event and the conduct of necessary trials on the new routes. The residents of the city have expressed their gratitude and excitement for the upcoming MMTS services.
