Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and North East Development G. Kishan Reddy wrote yet another official letter to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday urging him to ensure the government gives assured funds for railway projects and delineate land required for completing them at the earliest.
The Minister identified close to a dozen projects of more than 1,300 km railway track within Telangana, which require the active assistance of the government in terms of land acquisition and funds under the cost-sharing ratio, especially since the allocation this year in the budget was increased by 26% from ₹2,420 crore in 2021-2022 to ₹3,048 crore in 2022-2023, almost three times since 2014.
Mr. Reddy, also the Secunderabad MP, said that the Centre through these allocations was setting up new railway lines, doubling railway lines, introducing third lines, electrifying railway lines, and constructing road over bridges, on a mission mode.
These include:
Kazipet - Vijayawada 220 km, Kazipet – Balharshah 201 km, Manuguru - Ramagundam 200 km, Manoharabad – Kothapalli 151 km, Krishna - Vikarabad 145 km, Bodhan - Latur 134 km, Kondapalli - Kothagudem 82 km, Muneerabad - Mahabubnagar 66 km, Karimnagar - Hasanparti 62 km, Bhadrachalam Road – Sattupalli 54 km, Akkannapet – Medak 17 km and Kazipet - Hasanparti Road 11 km.
The Minister sought to impress the CM that all these were capital expenditure works and for every rupee spent, there was going to be a multiplier effect of ₹2.45 in the immediate year and ₹3.14 in the subsequent years.
“Therefore, I seek your cooperation in ensuring that the pending issues with respect to land acquisition, allotment and transfer of State’s share of funds are resolved at the earliest so that these projects that benefit the people of Telangana can be completed at the earliest,” he added.
