Hyderabad: Cherlapalli terminal nearing completion, expected to be inaugurated in July

With most modern facilities and features and design elements on par with airports, the new facility is taking shape at a cost of Rs 430 crore.

Hyderabad: A new terminal for the rail passengers is fast nearing completion at Cherlapalli on the city outskirts and is expected to be inaugurated this month. With most modern facilities and features and design elements on par with airports, the new facility is taking shape at a cost of Rs 430 crore.

According to railway officials, once the station is ready, many trains are likely to commence from Cherlapalli since the existing railway stations — Secunderabad, Hyderabad and Kacheguda are saturated due to huge inflow and outflow of traffic.

To ease the congestion at these terminals, Lingampalli station on the west is already being developed as a terminal station.

The new station building with modern architectural facade is being constructed and it will comprise six booking counters, separate waiting halls for women and men, as well as an upper-class waiting area and an executive lounge on the ground floor.

The South Central Railway (SCR) officials said, the first floor will house a cafeteria, restaurant, feeding cabins for mothers and restroom facilities for both women and men. The design will feature spacious concourse areas and a modern elevation with illuminated facade lighting. The station also comes under MMTS Phase – II project.

The redeveloped station will have four additional high-level platforms, while the existing five platforms have also been extended to accommodate full length trains. Two new Foot over Bridges, one 12-metre wide and another 6 metre wide, to facilitate seamless inter-platform movement are being incorporated. Further, all nine platforms would have escalators and lifts. It will also have coach maintenance facilities for facilitating starting of trains from the station.

“Cherlapalli railway station will become the fourth major passenger terminal in the twin cities. The new terminal is being developed with modern facilities and technology on par with airports,” said a senior SCR official.

Explaining the importance of Cherlapalli terminal, the official said the upcoming facility would not only reduce burden at Secunderabad, Nampally and Kacheguda stations but also meet the growing requirements of the city’s population. The terminal’s proximity to the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and upcoming Regional Ring Road (RRR) would certainly help passengers on all fronts, officials pointed out.

The new Cherlapalli rail terminal:

* Developed with modern facilities at a cost of Rs 430 crore

* Six booking counters

* Four additional high-level platforms

* Two new Foot over Bridges –12-metre and 6 metre wide

* 9 platforms have escalators and lifts

* Separate waiting halls for men, women

* Upper-class waiting area and an executive lounge

* Cafeteria, restaurant, feeding cabins

* Station comes under MMTS Phase – II project

* Coach maintenance facilities for trains to start from the station