Hyderabad : The long-awaited Cherlapally railway terminal is expected to be inaugurated in August, with the works nearing completion. Daily passengers and members of the travel association have urged South Central Railways (SCR) to extend MMTS services to Cherlapally and to arrange for the stoppage of several important express trains.
A few daily commuters and members of the travel association have pointed out that Cherlapally, being an industrial area, lacks last-mile and first-mile connectivity. They suggested that extending MMTS services from various locations to Cherlapally would be beneficial and to plan the initiation of several northbound, southbound, and westbound trains. The Railways and TGSRTC should discuss in detail the transportation of passengers arriving on different trains.
According to sources, the new terminal for rail passengers at Cherlapally is fast approaching completion and is expected to open to the public by August. Once the station is ready, many trains are likely to commence operations from Cherlapally, alleviating the congestion at the existing railway stations—Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Kacheguda—which are currently saturated due to heavy traffic. The new station, with a total project cost of Rs 430 crore, will be on par with the airport in terms of facilities and services.
Almost all the works are completed, with the new building constructed with modern infrastructure. It consists of six booking counters, separate waiting halls for women and men, an upper-class waiting area, and an executive lounge on the ground floor. The first floor will house a cafeteria, restaurant, feeding cabins for mothers, and restrooms 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 the MMTS Phase II project, said a senior officer, SCR.
The redeveloped station will feature four additional high-level platforms, while the existing five platforms are being extended to accommodate full-length trains. Two new foot-over bridges, one 12 meters wide and another six meters wide, are being incorporated to facilitate seamless inter-platform movement.
Furthermore, all nine platforms will be equipped with escalators and lifts. The station will also include coach maintenance facilities to support the starting of trains from the station, he added.
Emphasising the extension of MMTS trains, Noor Ahmed Ali, President, Long Train and MMTS Travellers Association, stated, “Currently, there is only one train from Ghatkesar to Lingampally via the bypass line, and the timings are not suitable. It would be beneficial if Railways extended MMTS trains to Cherlapally. Additionally, the State government should widen the road near the station for the convenience of passengers.”