Hyderabad: South Central Railway rejected the proposed mmts free journey plan, stating that no formal request had been submitted by the Telangana government for consideration.
Officials said the government had only held informal discussions and had not provided any written communication. They advised authorities against making public announcements without due process. They clarified that any proposal must be submitted in writing so it can be forwarded to the Railway Board for approval.
The Telangana government had earlier announced plans to introduce mmts free journey services from June 2. It also indicated that it would compensate the railways for revenue losses for a limited period.
However, railway officials expressed reservations about the feasibility of the proposal. They said approval from the Railway Board was mandatory and added that its response to such a plan remained uncertain.
MMTS free journey raises safety and approval concerns
Officials further warned that implementing mmts free journey services could create safety challenges. They said such issues would fall under the jurisdiction of the Railway Protection Force, which would need to manage increased passenger movement.
They reiterated that any financial or operational arrangement required detailed evaluation at multiple levels. Moreover, they stressed that decisions could not be taken based on verbal assurances.
The railway authorities urged the Telangana government to follow established procedures and avoid unilateral announcements on the mmts free journey proposal without securing necessary approvals.