Hyderabad, January 27: Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday flagged off two new trains and one extension of an earlier service from the Secunderabad Railway station.
The new trains are the Secunderabad – Tirupati Bi-weekly Express , Secunderabad-Manuguru Tri-weekly Express and earlier run of the Kacheguda-Akola Daily Express has been extended from Nanded to Akola.
Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, while addressing the gathering, said that his government will extend full cooperation for taking up new railway projects in AP and requested the Railways to allot more funds for the state in the ensuing railway budget.
He expressed his happiness on the introduction of the new trains and appealed to railways to introduce more trains in the next Railway Budget to meet the ever increasing demand for rail traffic. The Chief Minister stated that land acquisition is done for setting up of Rail Wagon Factory at Kazipet.
Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyappa, in his presidential address, said that the three trains which were flagged off would fulfil the aspiration of the people of this region.
He mentioned that the Secunderabad-Tirupati bi-weekly express would be the first express train to run via newly converted Dharmavaram-Pakala section restoring the missing link. Out of 21 new trains announced in the Railway Budget – 2010-2011, 19 were already introduced with the flagging off these three trains and the remaining trains including Hyderabad Mumbai Duronto Express would be introduced in a short time, Mr Muniyappa said.
He thanked the Chief Minster for financial contribution from State Government for implementing various Railway projects in AP and assured that Railways Ministry would continue to extend all co-operation and support to Government of AP in development of rail infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh. Mr Muniyappa issued instruction to railway officials to provide stop at Kadiri for Secunderabad – Tirupati Bi-weekly Express immediately to meet the demand of rail users.
SCR general manager MS Jayanth, while welcoming the gathering, said that Secunderabad – Tirupati Bi-Weekly Express is the first broad gauge express train on the newly converted Dharmavaram-Pakala section and the sixth direct train service between the Twin Cities of Hyderabad / Secunderabad and Tirupati.
The Secunderabad-Manuguru Tri-weekly Express is the first direct express train service between Secunderabad and Manuguru serving Manuguru, Kothagudem and Paloncha including the 100 year old Singareni Collieries, Thermal Power Plant, Heavy Water Plant etc.
Mr Jayanth added that a proposal is being sent to Railway Board to increase the frequency of this train to daily train, he added. Similarly the Kacheguda-Akola Express which is extended from Nanded to Akola is the first broad gauge day time direct service from Hyderabad City to major towns of Marathwada region like Nanded, Purna, Hingoli, Washim and Akola, he informed.
Further, Mr Jayanth noted that Andhra Pradesh is playing a pioneering role in large scale introduction of state sponsored rail projects. Mr Jayanth further informed that South Central Railway, would in the current financial year, complete 171 Km of new lines, 106 Km of doubling, 148 Km of electrification, 25 Road Over Bridges and 50 Road Under Bridges.
As many as 12 escalators and 30 lifts have been sanctioned at 14 stations on SCR at a cost of Rs 10 crore and are expected to be commissioned in 2011.
Mr Jayanth informed that the quantity as well as quality of MMTS service would be upgraded by induction of additional 36 state of the art Coaches with GPS based Passenger Information System.
Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyappa, presided over the function.
Minister for Major Industries, Sugar and Commerce J Geetha Reddy, Minister for Handloom and Textiles, Spinning Mills, Small scale Industries P Shankar Rao, Mayor Banda Karthika Chandra Reddy, MPs V Hanumantha Rao and Anjan Kumar Yadav, and SCR General Manager MS Jayanth and other senior officials from South Central Railway participated.
INN