Cherlapally railway terminal on the right track
Works gain momentum with Centre allocating Rs 50 crore in the latest Budget
Hyderabad: The works on Cherlapally Railway Terminal has gained momentum with the Centre allocating Rs 50 crore in the latest Budget. With the three railway terminals — Secunderabad, Kacheguda and Hyderabad witnessing congestion during peak hours, the South Central Railway had begun thinking of alternatives. All the three rail terminals were handling over 450 trains with 2.8 lakh passengers on an average per day before Covid-19 struck.
The first step SCR took was to develop the Lingampally Station on the west side of the city as a terminal station with an investment of around Rs 20 crore. Next in line was Cherlapally Railway Station towards the east of the city. The station is centrally located amidst residential colonies and is accessible to a large population.
For upgrading the station as a new alternate coaching terminal, major and various infrastructural works including provision of passenger amenities have been sanctioned by the Railway Board at an estimated cost of Rs 221 crore. Initially, works are being executed in two phases. As part of this, work on widening of the existing island platform, new platform along with new line for MMTS trains, extension of foot over bridge for new high level platforms, water pedestals, lighting arrangements are being taken up.
According to SCR officials, tenders have been floated and finalised for phase I and II works of the Cherlapally terminal. Works carried out in phase I with Rs 55 crore include construction of subways with three ramps and six staircases, five bridges, two high level island platforms, extension of existing platform, overhead water tank with 4 lakh litres capacity, provision of sewerage lines and other engineering works.
Works being executed in Phase II at an estimated cost of Rs 63 crore include a new station building to cater to additional passenger amenities, electrical substation, two foot over bridges (FOBs), five escalators, nine lifts (3 for subway and fix for FOBs), construction of 4 pit lines for train maintenance, parcel shed and so on. Officials said earth work was in progress while the circulating area was leveled up to the station building as per the proposed road connectivity agreed to by GHMC. “We have also taken up translocation of trees to suitable places suggested by the Forest Department,” said a senior official.
SCR officials said once the station was upgraded, it would ease congestion at the existing three rail terminals, apart from facilitating introduction of new train services in the future.
Mega plans
• Works being executed in Phase II at estimated cost of Rs 63 crore
• Terminal to have two FOBs, nine lifts and five escalators
• Project aimed at decongesting three major railway stations in city
• Hyderabad, Secunderabad & Kacheguda handle over 450 trains a day
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