Secunderabad railway station to become world-class with airport-style facility

It will be more on the lines of operations at the airports with baggage screening, wait-in lounge and being allowed to step on to platform only when one’s train is ready to pick passengers.

Hyderabad: Catching a train at Secunderabad railway station is going to be a completely different experience once the revamped station, presently undergoing a major metamorphosis to be of world-class status, is ready by the next year-end.

It will be more on the lines of operations at the airports with baggage screening, wait-in lounge and being allowed to step on to platform only when one’s train is ready to pick passengers. That would decongest platforms with only those boarding a particular train being allowed and that too in time.

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The Secunderabad railway station is being redeveloped and transformed into a modern station at a huge cost of Rs 700 crore. In this background, the Railways has decided to convert this station into an airport-style complex with strong security features.

Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh was the first to achieve the distinction of being transformed into a world-class railway station in the country. But, three years have passed since the baggage scanning system was installed there at a huge cost, but is still not put in use. Given this, the authorities have decided to take measures to prevent such a situation here.

Secunderabad railway station has entrances from Platform No.1 side and Platform No.10, Bhoiguda side. Both of these will continue even after modernisation with a huge baggage screening machine system installed on each side of these two routes at a cost of Rs 3 crore.

It will be mandatory for passengers to carry their baggage through this screening to complete the checking. For this, they have to reach the station a little earlier than the departure time of the train.

At present, passengers entering the station are directly reaching the platforms. But, this would not be possible in the modern station. After getting the ticket, the passengers have to proceed through the concourse to the passenger waiting hall. That’s where they should sit or shop.

An announcement is made around 15 minutes before the arrival of the train on the platform and only then passengers will be allowed on the platform.

Rushing to the platform just in time for the departure of the train is a routine at the stations. But, after the new station building is available, the officials are planning to not allow such passengers since mandatory baggage checking will be in place.

Many times beggars and vagabonds are seen entering the railway station premises and occupying spots during the dusk time to sleep, and the security and screening will ensure they are stopped.

Currently, only three stations are being prepared in South Central Railway (SCR) as world-class stations. While Tirupati and Nellore are in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana has only Secunderabad railway station.