Hyderabad: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy urged the state government to allocate land for Cherlapally rail expansion to ease growing passenger pressure.
In a letter to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, he said the city’s major railway terminals were overburdened. He identified Kachiguda Railway Station, Secunderabad Railway Station, and Hyderabad Deccan Railway Station as heavily congested.
He stated that Cherlapally rail expansion was necessary to position the terminal as a modern alternative. The facility was built at a cost of Rs 430 crore. It was inaugurated on January 6, 2025, by Narendra Modi.
However, poor road connectivity has emerged as a key constraint. Reddy said passenger numbers and train operations at the station were steadily rising.
Cherlapally rail expansion needs road and parking upgrades
The minister proposed widening the FCI Godown Road approach to 200 feet. He also called for expanding the Bharat Nagar-side road from 30 feet to 100 feet.
Further, he sought development of the EC Nagar–MMTS link road to 100 metres over a 700-metre stretch. He also requested allocation of 3 acres near the station building and 2.7 acres near the MMTS platform for parking and support facilities.
Reddy flagged delays in providing a water connection despite Rs 4 crore already deposited by the Railways. Meanwhile, he referred to the ongoing redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station at a cost of Rs 715 crore.
He said the project aimed to deliver international standards and modern amenities. To support commuter movement, he urged widening the road from Alpha Hotel to Rathifile Bus Stand to 120 feet.
Despite several representations since 2022 and a joint inspection by railway and civic agencies, the works remained pending. Therefore, he asked the Chief Minister to intervene and expedite approvals for the Cherlapally rail expansion project.