Senior Congress leader and Nalgonda MP N. Uttamkumar Reddy on Tuesday demanded sanction of a bullet train from Hyderabad to Vijayawada via Nakrekal, Suryapet and Kodad to be built along the National Highway 65 where land is already available and it can be a new line.
A bullet train from Hyderabad to Vijayawada on this route would not only reduce the travel time drastically to 1.5 hours but would boost the economies of both Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and that of the nation. The Hyderabad – Vijayawada bullet train would be more viable than the Mumbai – Ahmedabad one, he claimed in a representation made to South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager Gajanan Mallya.
During the meeting held with MPs of the SCR divisions at the Rail Nilayam, he said the present rail route from Hyderabad to Vijayawada via Kazipet is 350 km and the train journey takes 6-7 hours, but the new route along the NH would reduce the distance to 256 km. The huge traffic density on NH 65 is reflected in the 1,500 buses and thousand of cars, lorries and other automobiles plying on this road everyday, he said.
Mr. Reddy also wanted passenger trains to be run on the Jaggaiahpet - Mellacheruvu – Mattampalli – Miryalaguda rail line; a new railway line to be sanctioned between Dornakal and Miryalaguda, improving Nalgonda and Miryalaguda railway stations; etc.
BJP Nizamabad MP D. Aravind blasted the TRS government and put the entire blame on it for the “90% delay” in several railway lines and works from the MMTS phase 2 to Road over/under Bridges at many places. Talking to the media, he said the government has no qualms in spending more than ₹1.5 lakh crore on Kaleswaram irrigation project whereas it does not want to give even “ a few hundred crores” for completion of railway works which will benefit lakhs of people.
"I have lost faith in this bankrupt government about any funds being given to the railway projects. In fact, it has been lobbying for funds to the textile park in lieu of the proposed wagon repair workshop at Warangal," he claimed. The MP sought extension of the Tirupati-Karimnagar train up to Nizamabad, Rayalaseema Superfast Express up to Bodhan and trains towards Delhi and Mumbai.
TRS MPs Ranjith Reddy and others complained that many "local" issues raised are not being solved despite many representations. "There are no funds for ROBs/RUBs cannot be the answer as a solution has to be found as the people hold us responsible," he said. Right of way for the farmers whose lands are abutting the railway lands, beautification of the stations and more amenities for passengers like lifts were sought.
Other MPs who attended include N. Nageswar Rao (Khammam), Maloth Kavitha (Mahabubabad), M. Srinivas Reddy (Mahabubnagar), K. Prabhakar Reddy (Medak), P. Ramulu (Nagarkurnool), B.Venkatesh Netha (Peddapalle), B.B. Patil (Zahirabad), K.R.Suresh Reddy (RajyaSabha), B. Lingaiah Yadav (RajyaSabha), AsaduddinOwaisi (Hyderabad), K. Venkat Reddy (Bhongir), Umesh G. Jadhav (Gulbarga) and Raja Amareshwara Naik (Raichur).
