The South Central Railway has been allocated Rs 2768 crore for infrastructure development during 2015-2016, up 24 per cent over the current fiscal’s allocation of Rs 2240 crore.
The Union Railway Budget has allocated funds for several projects which include Peddapalli-Karimnagar-Nizamabad (Rs 141 crore), Nandayal—Yerraguntla (Rs 130 crore), Nadikudi—Srikalakastri (Rs 110 crore), Vijayawada-Bhimavaram-Nidavolu line doubling and electrification (Rs 150 crore) and new work of Secunderabad–Mahbubnagar doubling project of Rs 1200 crore has been sanction.
Addressing a press conference, PK Srivastava, general manager of SCR, described the rail budget as customer-friendly with a number of initiatives aimed at providing additional comfort and convenience to passengers be it while booking tickets, travelling or even accessing various catering services.
He said that the operating ratio of SCR, which is continuing to do better at 76 per cent this year as against Indian average of 92.5 per cent. The perspective planning for the next five years provides a clear line of thought and the way the Government wants the railways to move ahead.
The GM hoped that at least one of the 10 proposed Satellite Railway Terminals would come to the SCR, possibly near Secunderabad/Hyderabad.
On the move to speed up trains, along nine dense corridors, he felt that this would be easier and faster mode to speed up train movement as against developing a network for bullet trains, which could take anywhere between 5-6 years to implement.
Asked about the implementation of MMTS project, he said it was progressing as per plans and that it would be implemented as per plans.
On the Kazipet wagon facility, he said that the project has now been put on hold as there have been changes in the overall thinking on this initiative.
Referring to the Kazipet-Vijayawada third line and Kazipet-Ballarshah line, he said Rs 100 crore and Rs 46 crore was allocated for the projects and would help in their timely development.
He hoped the Hyderabad-Nagpur and Hyderabad-Chennai bullet trains would be taken up as per earlier plans.