Before MMTS: Hyderabad’s decades-old ‘Circular Railway’ plan

The origins of Hyderabad’s MMTS can be traced to the ambitious Circular Railway System proposed in the late 1980s. Conceived to reduce congestion through suburban rail connectivity, the project later evolved into MMTS, though experts say the original vision remains only partially realised.

Hyderabad: Long before the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS), which has now become a lifeline for lakhs of commuters in the twin cities, its foundations were laid in an ambitious, decades-old proposal called the ‘Circular Railway System’.

During the late 1980s and 1990s, rapid urban expansion and mounting road congestion prompted the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and South Central Railway (SCR) to explore the use of existing rail corridors.

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The proposed network aimed to connect major hubs, including Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Kacheguda, Falaknuma, Moula Ali, Malkajgiri, and Begumpet.

“The vision was to establish a suburban rail network operating in a circular pattern to reduce pressure on roads and provide economical transport,” recalled Noor Ahmed Ali, General Secretary of the Train Travellers Association, who was involved in the early discussions at HUDA’s Domalguda office.

However, financial constraints and a lack of dedicated infrastructure shelved the project.

The issue gained major political momentum when former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NT Rama Rao strongly championed it during his final election campaign at Yousufguda.

Following persistent public support, subsequent representations to former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and former Minister of State for Railways, Bandaru Dattatreya, finally secured approval for the project’s revival.

Consequently, the first phase of the Hyderabad MMTS was launched in 2003. Today, transport experts note that the original Circular Railway concept was broader and more futuristic than the current setup, sparking renewed demands for its full expansion as Hyderabad grows in all directions.