Hyderabad rail capacity to be doubled as Telangana emerges key focus for Indian Railways: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India] July 19 (ANI): Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday emphasized that Telangana, particularly the Hyderabad region, is a key focus area for the Indian Railways. Speaking to the media outside an event venue, the minister outlined plans for significant rail infrastructure expansion in the state.
Highlighting the ambitious vision for the region, Vaishnaw stated, "We have given a target to our general manager here at South Central Railway to increase the capacity of the Hyderabad area which includes Hyderabad, Secunderabad and the neighboring stations from the current capacity of about 600 trains a day to 1,200 trains every day."
The railway minster also mentioned that the Secunderabad station is currently "undergoing a major redevelopment program."
In addition to upgrading existing infrastructure, the minister mentioned that Indian Railways is exploring a new hub-based configuration. Under this model, multiple stations would act as key nodes for North, South, East, and West-bound connectivity, thereby enhancing the efficiency of rail operations across the region.
The minister believes that the Regional Ring Road in Telangana could be game changer for the state in the near-term. He said, "Recently, when the Chief Minister and we met in Delhi, I requested Honorable Chief Minister to give a 30-meter corridor from the regional ring road project so that we can have a train connectivity within that 30-meter throughout the regional ring road project and then we can build large inland container depots so that the manufacturing in Telangana can reach out to the ports seamlessly."
On a different note, the minister commended the progress in semiconductor innovation at IIT Hyderabad. Applauding the institution's efforts, he said, "I would also like to commend the IIT Hyderabad for using the India Semiconductor Mission, the tools that we have provided to 270 colleges, semiconductor design tools. IIT Hyderabad is among the very active users of those tools."
He further highlighted how such initiatives align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of empowering students with the tools and infrastructure needed to excel in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and electronics. (ANI)