Central govt commits Rs 835.43 bn to Telangana Railway Projects

Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy announced that the Central government has made a significant commitment to initiate 30 railway projects in Telangana, encompassing the creation of 15 entirely new railway lines. These projects boast a substantial total budget of Rs 835.43 billion.Addressing reporters, Minister Reddy voiced his concerns, alleging that the progress on more than 700 kilometres of railway track construction had been hindered due to what he described as the non-cooperation of the governing BRS administration. He emphasised that the Centre has called upon the state government to expedite the process of land acquisition for these railway endeavours. Additionally, the Centre seeks the state government's cooperation for various projects, such as Phase II of the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) in Hyderabad.Minister Reddy, who also serves as the Telangana BJP president, underscored the state government's lack of cooperation in these matters. He reiterated the Centre's appeal to the state government to accelerate land acquisition for railway projects and collaborate on initiatives like Phase II of the MMTS in Hyderabad.Despite the alleged non-cooperation from the state authorities, Minister Reddy emphasised the Union government's unwavering commitment to Telangana's development and the well-being of its people, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.In a recent development, the Railways approved the modernisation and redevelopment of 40 railway stations in Telangana, with Prime Minister Modi virtually laying the foundation for 21 of them, as noted by Minister Reddy. He revealed that the central government has allocated Rs 23 billion for the redevelopment of these 40 stations.Furthermore, Minister Reddy highlighted a stark contrast in railway development between the previous UPA government (2004-2014) and the current Modi government. During the UPA era, only five projects were approved, with a total allocation of Rs 101.92 billion for the construction of just 714 kilometres of new railway lines. In contrast, the Modi government has green lit 30 projects, encompassing the creation of 5,239 kilometres of new railway lines in Telangana.To illustrate the progress made, Minister Reddy noted that, prior to 2014, only 17 kilometres of new railway lines were laid annually, whereas under the Modi government's leadership, this figure has risen significantly to 55 kilometres per year.