Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region G. Kishan Reddy, on Wednesday, said the Railway Board has cleared a survey to build an ‘Outer Ring Rail’ railway line alongside the upcoming 350-km Regional Ring Road (RRR) outside the existing Outer Ring Road (ORR) of the Hyderabad capital region.
“It will be a ₹14 crore feasibility study where the Railways will be looking into pros and cons of building the line in parallel to the upcoming road network and elevated sections wherever necessary at crossings and junction stations. A communication has been sent to the State government about the work,” he told a press conference from New Delhi.
The railway length is expected to be about 536 km for the ORR (rail) and survey is also for bypass lines at Akkanapet, Yadadri, Chityal, Burgula, Vikarabad and Gate Vanampalli.
The Minister said no other city in the country will be having such a twin transport infrastructure project being taken up at the same time to provide rail connectivity to the hitherto unconnncted parts of Telangana. “It will link railway lines going towards Mumbai, Vijayawada and other parts to facilitate people living in the districts – Warangal, Nizamabad, Medak, etc., to get down at the new junction stations without the need for coming to the stations in twin cities. We believe it will bring about a transformation for the capital and the surrounding districts,” he said.
The RRR is being funded totally by the Central government and 50% of land marking already completed, he said work can begin as soon as the State government completes the land acquisition and hands it over.
Mr. Reddy, also the Secunderabad MP, said the Railway Board had also cleared a final location ₹1.5 crore to connect the 61 km Warangal (Hasanparthi) -Karimnagar. Another important project cleared is setting up of a National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) at the Genome Valley for which the State government has agreed to allot land. “The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is ready to start the work on the centre as soon as the State government gives us possession of the land,” he said.
The Centre had approved ₹2,102 crore for the year 2023-24 under the scheme for special assistance to States for capital expenditure/investment for various works related to health, education, roads and others. Since 2020-21, a total of ₹5,221.92 crore has been approved for Telangana for the same, added the Minister
