Allocation of funds for rail projects in Telangana raised: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the Narendra Modi government has increased allocation of funds to Rs 3,048 crore for railway projects in Telangana this year.

He alleged that the State government has not given its share of funds for the implementation of the multi-modal transport system (MMTS) in Hyderabad as per the agreement between the Centre and the State.

The remarks came against the backdrop of the ruling TRS alleging that the NDA government at the Centre meted out a raw deal to Telangana in allocation of funds and other developmental projects.

During 2009-14 when the UPA was in power, the fund allocated to undivided Andhra Pradesh for railway projects was Rs 886 crore per year, Vaishnaw told reporters here.

After Modi assumed office, he increased the fund to Rs 1,110 crore per year in 2014-19, he said.

"This year, Prime Minister Modi has given a record allotment of Rs 3,048 crore for the railways in Telangana," he said.

The higher allocation resulted in improvement of stations and pace of construction, he said.

The doubling, tripling, quadrupling of railwaylines during 2009-14 was zero and it is 24 kms per year now, Vaishnaw said.

On the MMTS project, he said Rs 631 crore was outstanding in the share of the State. "The agreement on the MMTS was: Centre will give one-third, State will give two-third," he said.

On the establishment of a coach factory in Telangana that was mentioned in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, he said it is a long-term order given by railways which enabled a private coach factory to come up near Hyderabad.

The railways would set up a POH (periodic overhaul) facility in Telangana, the tender process for which would be completed in another two months, he said.

Recently, the State government gave the land for the facility and funds were allocated for it by the railways, he said.

"The Central government is committed on all its promises which have been made. The State also has to take a step forward and support us," he said.