The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express at Secunderabad Railway Station. He laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various projects worth over Rs. 11,300 crores at Parade Ground in Hyderabad, Telangana including the redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station.
More Details:
- Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for getting the opportunity to extend the pace of development of the state of Telangana. He also recalled flagging off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express which will connect the IT City of Hyderabad with the abode of Lord Venkateswara, Tirupati at Secunderabad Railway Station earlier in the day.
- The Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express will successfully connect belief, modernity, technology and tourism. The Prime Minister congratulated the citizens of Telangana for today’s projects worth over Rs. 11,300 crores related to railways and road connectivity and health infrastructure development.
- The Prime Minister noted that the state of Telangana has been in existence for almost the same time as the present government at the centre and bowed his head to those who contributed towards the formation of the state.
- It is the duty of the government at the centre to realise the dreams of citizens of the state related to the development of Telangana. He highlighted the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.
- He said that special emphasis has been given so that Telangana can make the most out of India’s development model laid out in the past nine years. Giving examples of development in the cities, the Prime Minister mentioned the 70 km of metro network laid out in the last nine years and the progress made in the development of the Hyderabad Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS).
- Highlighting the initiation of 13 MMTS services today, the Prime Minister informed that Rs 600 crores have been allocated for Telangana for its expansion in the state which will benefit lakhs of citizens in Hyderabad, Secunderabad and nearing districts while also giving rise to new business hubs and investment.
- Noting the unpredictability of economies of the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing war between two countries, the Prime Minister highlighted that India is one of the few countries that have made record investments towards modern infrastructure.
- He informed that Rs 10 lakh crores have been earmarked for the development of modern infrastructure in India in this year’s Budget. He pointed out that in the last nine years, the railway budget of Telangana has increased seventeen times and the work of laying new rail lines, rail line doubling and electrification among others have taken place in record time.
- The electrification of Secunderabad–Mahabubnagar project is a prime example of this, he said as he noted that it will improve the connectivity between Hyderabad and Bangalore. The Prime Minister emphasised that the redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station is part of the campaign for the modernising of prime railway stations in the country.
- Governor of Telangana, Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Union Minister for Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Tourism, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Member of Parliament from Malkajgiri, Shri A. Revanth Reddy and Ministers from Government of Telangana were present on the occasion among others.
Background:
- The redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station, to be done at the cost of Rs. 720 crores, is being planned such that it will undergo a massive makeover with world-class amenities and an aesthetically designed iconic station building.
- The redeveloped station would be having double-level spacious roof plaza with all passenger amenities in one place along with multimodal connectivity for providing seamless transfer of passengers from rail to other modes among others.
- During the Programme, the Prime Minister flagged off 13 new Multi-Modal Transport Service (MMTS) services in the suburban section of Hyderabad – Secunderabad twin city region, providing commuters with a fast, convenient and comfortable travel option.
- He was also dedicated to the nation, the doubling and electrification of Secunderabad–Mahabubnagar project. The project stretching for a distance of over 85 km has been completed at the cost of nearly Rs. 1,410 crores. The project will provide seamless connectivity and enhance the average speed of trains.
Source: PIB- Press Release | Images Credit: South Central Railway
