Rs 9,494 cr spent on railway projects in Telangana in 8 years: Kishan Reddy

: The NDA government at the Centre has spent nearly Rs 9,494 crore during the past eight years on 12 new major railway projects in Telangana, Union Minister of Tourism G Kishan Reddy said on Friday.

Speaking at a function marking the dedication of a new railway line between Medak- Akanapet railway stations to the nation at Medak, Reddy said the Indian Railways has been taking several measures on the safety front resulting in a lesser number of accidents year on year.

He said the Centre is proposing to set up a railway coach overhauling unit at Warangal with an investment of Rs 400 crore. The facility is expected to provide employment to 3,000 people.

"During the past eight years, 12 new (major) projects have been taken up in Telangana...Rs 9,494 crore was spent during the past eight years for development in Telangana. As many as 43 railway stations in the state were modernised under Kavach (A state-of-the-art electronic system which was designed to help the Indian Railways achieve zero accidents), he said.

He said after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, the South Central Railway (SCR) has taken up works including 298 km new railway line, doubling or tripling of 221 km works and electrification of 1149 Km in Telangana.

He said the SCR is in the process of modernising the Secunderabad railway station with an investment outlay of Rs 653 crore. Once the works are completed the biggest station in Telangana would look like an airport with various amenities.

Reddy also flagged off the inaugural passenger train from Medak to Kacheguda.