Implement existing projects, grant new ones: Vinod to Railway Minister

Hyderabad: Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar on Thursday expressed anguish at the hostile attitude of the BJP government at the Centre in implementing existing rail projects as well as granting new railway projects to Telangana State. “The thirteenth section of the AP reorganisation act clearly states that The Indian Railways shall, within […]

Hyderabad: Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar on Thursday expressed anguish at the hostile attitude of the BJP government at the Centre in implementing existing rail projects as well as granting new railway projects to Telangana State.

“The thirteenth section of the AP reorganisation act clearly states that The Indian Railways shall, within six months from the appointed day, examine the feasibility of establishing a Rail Coach Factory in the successor State of Telangana, improve rail connectivity in the State and take expeditious decisions. Unfortunately, no action has been taken regarding this so far,” Vinod Kumar said, in a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

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Seeking to know how long such step-motherly treatment would continue, the TSPB vice chairman wondered why states should approach the Centre with a begging bowl for their rightful share of resources. “Progressive states such as Telangana must be encouraged with more resources and rail connectivity for the overall development of the nation,” he said, and urged the Railway Minister to sanction new railway projects to Telangana in the upcoming budget as well as expedite the pending projects.

Pointing out that Telangana was home to four crore people and known all over for its hospitality, multicultural and pluralistic society, he said people from all over the country were migrating to Telangana which was also experiencing reverse migration of people who left the State in search of better economic opportunities.

Geographically, Telangana is a landlocked State and is strategically located inter-connecting all parts of the country from North to South and East to west, he said, adding that the consistent growth opportunities in all the sectors have been the main attraction for people from all over the country to make Telangana their home.

Road connectivity within the State had improved tremendously under the able leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao but unfortunately rail connectivity has not improved at all, Vinod Kumar said, adding that in the past seven years, the union government had never prioritised the needs of the state in any of its railway budgets so far.

The lackadaisical attitude of the Indian Railway, he said, was clearly evident in the way projects were dealt with in Telangana. Vinod Kumar appended the list of all pending projects as well as shelved projects.

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