To augment rail connectivity in Telangana, the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned around 15 Final Location Surveys (FLSs) for new railway lines. The proposed new railway lines of 2,647 km are estimated to cost ₹50,848 crore.
Apart from these, FLSs have been sanctioned for another 11 projects envisaging doubling, tripling, and quadrupling of the existing rail network for around 2,588 km with an outlay of ₹32,695 crore in Telangana, according to a press release.
The proposed 64 km Bhupalpally-Kazipet (Hasanparti) new railway line is one of the important projects for which the FLS has been sanctioned by the Railway Ministry at an estimated cost of ₹1,152 crore.
This line connects Bhupalpally, the district headquarters of the tribal majority Jayashankar Bhupalpally district with the main trunk route via Jagadalpeta, Marripalli and provides rail connectivity to the famous pilgrim centre of Sammakka and Sarakka, the press release added.
It will help provide rail connectivity to the underdeveloped but mineral-rich district, create huge employment opportunities to the local people and usher in socio economic development of the region.
The new line assumes significance due to its immense utility in the movement of coal from the Bhupalpally coal cluster to various thermal power stations in Telangana as well as the neighbouring States.
The 62-km Karimnagar-Hasanparti new railway line is another important project on the anvil at an estimated cost of ₹1,116 crore. It will help connect Manakondur and Huzurabad towns with Hyderabad and direct rail connectivity towards Vijayawada, Chennai and Tirupati.
According to the press release, the rail budget allocation to the State has been increased by almost 17 times from ₹258 crore in 2014-15 to ₹4,418 crore now. Almost 575 km of rail has been added to the rail network in the State over the past nine years.
