New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has urged Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to expedite approvals for three proposed high-speed rail corridors connecting Hyderabad with Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai.
During a meeting with Vaishnaw at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi, Reddy said the state government had examined the proposals submitted by the Centre, suggested modifications and sent its recommendations back. He clarified that land acquisition for the three corridors had not begun and would be taken up only after the Centre approves the alignments. He urged the Railway Ministry to complete the process without delay.
Reddy also sought immediate approval for the proposed 130-km Vikarabad-Krishna railway line. He told the Union minister that substantial limestone deposits had been identified near Tekalkode in Vikarabad district and that the state planned to develop the region as a cement and textile hub.
The chief minister called for the proposed Regional Ring Rail to be aligned alongside the 360-km Regional Ring Road being developed around Hyderabad. He said the rail project would generate substantial employment opportunities.
He also renewed his request for early approval of several other railway projects, including the Dornakal-Gadwal and Kalvakurthi-Macharla lines, the 250-km Kachiguda-Jaggayyapet route, the 320-km Patancheru-Adilabad line, the 175-km Bodhan-Latur route and the eight-km Akkannapet bypass line.
Reddy urged the Railway Ministry to expedite approval for a proposed mega coaching and freight maintenance depot planned by South Central Railway near Anantharam village in Mahabubabad district.
He pointed out that approval had already been granted to transfer 409.1 acres required for the facility to the Railway Department and sought early clearance for the project.
State minister Vivek Venkatswamy, MPs, Telangana’s special representative in Delhi A P Jithender and senior officials attended the meeting.
