Union Minister Kishan Reddy inspects redevelopment works at Vikarabad railway station

Hyderabad, Aug 30 (TNT): Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy on Sunday inspected the ongoing redevelopment works at Vikarabad railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Divisional Railway Manager, Secunderabad Division, Dr R Gopalakrishnan, and other senior railway officials accompanied the Union Minister during the inspection.

Kishan Reddy inspected the station building, platforms, 12-metre-wide foot overbridge, parking area and circulating area and reviewed the safety measures being undertaken at the construction site.

Speaking to the media later, Kishan Reddy said Vikarabad railway station was being redeveloped as an Amrit Station at a cost of Rs 24.35 crore to improve passenger convenience, accessibility and the overall station environment.

The redevelopment works include a 12-metre-wide foot overbridge, lifts, escalators, upgraded waiting halls, an improved circulating area, entrance and façade improvements and enhanced lighting, he said.

Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 40 railway stations across Telangana were being redeveloped at a cost of more than Rs 2,000 crore, the Union Minister said.

Kishan Reddy said the railway network in Telangana had undergone significant transformation over the past 12 years, with several infrastructure projects, including new railway lines, doubling and third-line works, bypass lines, station redevelopment, electrification and safety enhancement measures, underway across the state.

He said Telangana was the first state where the indigenous Automatic Train Protection System, Kavach, was implemented and added that upgradation to Kavach 4.0 was underway in various sections.

Five Vande Bharat trains were currently being operated from Hyderabad and Secunderabad, connecting the twin cities with Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Bengaluru and Nagpur, he said.

On the proposed Regional Ring Rail, Kishan Reddy said the Final Location Survey for the 400-km rail network along the exterior periphery of the Regional Ring Road around Hyderabad was sanctioned in 2023. The LiDAR survey had been completed and the Detailed Project Report for the northern section submitted, while the alignment for the southern section was under finalisation.

Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said the redevelopment of Vikarabad railway station with modern facilities under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme would enhance passenger amenities and improve the overall travel experience.

Earlier, Kishan Reddy received a Guard of Honour and grand salute from the Railway Protection Force on his arrival at the station.

He later planted saplings on the station premises along with the Chevella MP.

TNT TS