Hyderabad: Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy inspected the ongoing redevelopment of Vikarabad Railway Station on Sunday and reviewed the progress of major passenger infrastructure works.
Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy and other public representatives joined the inspection. Secunderabad Divisional Railway Manager Dr R. Gopalakrishnan and senior railway officials also accompanied the Union Minister.
Kishan Reddy visited construction sites across the station and reviewed the progress of redevelopment works. He inspected the station building, platforms, parking facilities and circulating area.
He also examined work on the proposed 12-metre-wide foot over bridge. In addition, the Minister reviewed safety measures being followed at construction sites within the station premises.
Later, Kishan Reddy told reporters that Vikarabad Railway Station was being redeveloped as an Amrit Station at ₹24.35 crore. The project aimed to improve passenger convenience, accessibility and the overall station environment.
Vikarabad Railway Station gets upgraded amenities
Kishan Reddy said the redevelopment included several new and upgraded passenger facilities. These included a 12-metre-wide foot over bridge, lifts and escalators.
The project also covered upgraded waiting halls and improvements to the circulating area. In addition, authorities planned improvements to the station entrance, façade and lighting.
According to the Union Minister, 40 railway stations across Telangana were being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The combined cost of these station projects exceeded ₹2,000 crore.
Reddy said Telangana’s railway network had undergone a major transformation during the previous 12 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
He said several railway infrastructure projects were underway across the State. These included new railway lines, doubling projects, third-line works and bypass lines.
Moreover, station redevelopment, railway electrification and safety improvement projects were being implemented across Telangana, he said.
Reddy said Telangana was the first State where the indigenous Automatic Train Protection System, Kavach, was implemented. He added that the upgrade to Kavach 4.0 was underway across various railway sections.
The Union Minister also said five Vande Bharat trains were operating from the Hyderabad-Secunderabad twin cities. These services connected the cities with important destinations, including Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Bengaluru and Nagpur.
Vikarabad Railway Station inspection highlights rail projects
During his remarks, Kishan Reddy also outlined progress on the proposed Regional Ring Rail around Hyderabad.
He said the Final Location Survey for the Regional Ring Rail was sanctioned in 2023. The proposed railway corridor would run along the outer periphery of the Regional Ring Road around Hyderabad.
According to Reddy, the survey covered a distance of 400 km. He said authorities had completed the LiDAR survey for the project.
The Detailed Project Report for the northern section of the Regional Ring Road corridor had also been submitted, he said. Meanwhile, officials were finalising the alignment for the southern section.
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said Vikarabad Railway Station was being redeveloped with world-class facilities under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
He said the redevelopment would provide improved passenger amenities and modern facilities. Furthermore, he said the project would significantly improve the overall travel experience for railway passengers using the station.
Earlier, Kishan Reddy received a Guard of Honour and Grand Salute from the Railway Protection Force upon his arrival at Vikarabad Railway Station.
Later, Kishan Reddy and Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy planted saplings on the station premises. The plantation formed part of efforts to promote and strengthen the green environment around the railway station.