Cherlapally Railway Terminal Boasts Airport-Like Amenities

Hyderabad: The Rs 450-crore terminal at Cherlapally, equipped with modern passenger and railway amenities and resembling an airport lounge, is set to be inaugurated by Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav on December 28.

The terminal will offer a large circulating area with ample parking facilities, five lifts and five escalators connecting all platforms, parcel booking facilities, and other passenger amenities. It will have the capacity to handle 25 pairs of trains.

Major features of the project include the construction of four new high-level platforms, bringing the total to nine, along with the rising and extension of existing platforms.

The new station building will also include six ticket booking counters, waiting halls, an upper-class waiting hall, an executive lounge, a cafeteria, a restaurant, and ladies' and gentlemen's capsules.

It was developed to reduce congestion at Secunderabad, Kacheguda and Hyderabad stations. The project, sanctioned in 2018, initially faced delays due to problems with land acquisition. The Indian Railways proceeded with construction within its available land.

Charlapalli station falls under the MMTS Phase II project, connecting Moula Ali and Ghatkesar. Ongoing works include widening existing platforms, constructing new platforms for MMTS services, and improving infrastructure for better connectivity.

Five hundred trees were relocated and 5,500 trees were planted as part of the compensatory afforestation effort.

There are improved infrastructure facilities for the railways, including an STP and an ETP with a capacity of 2 lakh litres per day to provide recycled water for railway purposes.