Telangana puts two railway line works on fast track

Hyderabad: The Telangana State government has kept Medak-Akkannapet and Manoharabad-Kothapalli railway line works on fast track mode. Chief secretary SP Singh on Wednesday reviewed the progress of the projects with officials at Secretariat.

The CS asked officials to speed up land acquisition for construction of railway terminals at Cherlapally and Vattinagulapalli. In a related development, roads and buildings minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao held meeting with South Central Railway general manager Vinod Kumar Yadav at Secretariat on Wednesday and reviewed the progress of Bhadrachalam-Sattupally-Kovvuru railway line works.

Mr Yadav also met the CS and discussed the progress of railway projects in the state. The minister said land acquisition for railways had been expedited for the early completion of the project.

The railway line, over an extent of 133 km, is being taken up at a cost of '704 crore. While the Indian Railways will bear land acquisition costs, Singareni Collieries will bear construction costs.

This railway line will pass through 36 km in Kothagudem district and 17.3 km in Khammam district. Nearly 500 acres need to be acquired for this project, of which 166 acres will be in Kothagudem district.

Mr. Tummala asked Khammam collector to expedite land acquisition in the district. He urged SCR to speed up setting up of Sattupally-Kovvur and Sattupally-Kondapally railway lines approved by the Centre.

He said since major part of these railway lines pass through AP, there is a need for both AP and TS to work in coordination for the early completion of the project. “If AP government comes forward to take up these projects, the TS government is also willing to speed up land acquisition and fulfill other needs,” he added.

Mr Tummala sought consent of the state government for closure of LC gates consequent to the construction of Limited Height Subways (LHS) or diversion to the nearby LC gates in close vicinity,  ROB/RUB related issues, completion of approach portion of work of ROBs where railway portion of work is completed; finalisation of agency for execution of ROB/RUB works in GHMC limits; nomination of nodal officer from the state government for redevelopment of railway stations, certification and reconstruction of railway land boundary plans; and consent of government for procurement of additional 24-car for MMTS Phase-II under material modification.