48-km Sanathnagar-Moula Ali automatic signal line inauguration by PM tomorrow

Hyderabad: It will be a major relief for rail passengers, particularly those from the city's Northeast, as long-awaited Multi-Modal Transport Service (MMTS phase II) routes will finally be opened to passengers beginning with Mach 6. In that regard, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Sanathnagar-Moula-Ali railway line doubling and electrification works, along with six new station buildings. He will also flag off the new MMTS train service in the new suburban section between Ghatkesar and Lingampally (via Moula-Ali-Sanathnagar) today at a function in Sangareddy.

The long-pending phase II project was sanctioned in 2014, as it is a joint project of the Ministry of Railways and the Telangana government based on cost-sharing (one third by the South Central Railways and two-third by the State government), the project was halted due to various reasons. Finally, with the completion of the project, it will reduce the burden on the highly saturated Secunderabad-Moula Ali and Secunderabad-Lingampally sections. It will also help in reducing the detention of trains and improving punctuality and the average speed of the trains.

According to a SCR official, the doubling and electrification of the Sanathnagar-Moula-Ali section have been completed as part of the MMTS phase – II project. The entire 22 route kms of the project have been constructed with an automatic signalling system at a cost of Rs 343 crore. As part of it, six new station buildings will come up at Ferozguda, Suchitra Centre, Bhudevinagar, Ammuguda, Neredmet, and Moula Ali Housing Board stations. Doubling and electrification of Sanathnagar—Moula Ali will pave the way for the introduction of passenger trains for the first time in this section. Earlier, the Sanathnagar–Moula Ali section was a single line open to only freight trains. Now, not only has the section been doubled and electrified, but the whole section is being opened to handle passenger traffic as well. As part of the doubling and electrification, six new station buildings have also been developed in the section, which will be able to handle passenger traffic. All the newly opened MMTS stations have been provided with modern passenger amenities, high-level platforms, foot-over bridges, and platform shelters.

Explaining the importance of the routes, a senior officer, SCR, said, “It connects the new areas in the Eastern part of the city, like Cherlapally and Moula Ali, with the Western part of the twin city region. The introduction of the new MMTS train service in these sections will provide the safest, fastest, and most economical modes of transport connecting the Eastern and the Western part of the twin city region. It will particularly benefit students, small business people, and employees. The train extends the jurisdiction of MMTS services in the suburban section of Hyderabad-Secunderabad twin cities from the existing 90 kms (44 stations) to 123.52 kms (53 stations).”