Working to address safety issues in train travel: Suresh Prabhu

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The Indian Railways is working on a comprehensive strategy to make train travel safe and comfortable, making it a preferred mode of transportation for all, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

"Therefore, we are working on a comprehensive strategy for creating safe, comfortable, convenient, affordable train journey for the people of India," Prabhu, who inaugurated several railway initiatives at the Secunderabad railway station here from New Delhi, said in his address.

Noting that there have been a number of inadequacies in the railway system that need to be rectified, he said the Railways is working on plans to address safety and other issues to make train travel safe and comfortable in 2017.

"But we will definitely make sure that we succeed in this mission of ensuring that railways will become a new preferred mode of transportation for everybody," he said.

The initiatives inaugurated by Prabhu included Commissioning of 500 kWp Grid Connected Solar System at Secunderabad station; commissioning of LED based lighting at MMTS stations; inauguration of Renovated MMTS Booking office on Platform No.6/7 at Secunderabad station; inauguration of Additional Foot over Bridge at Hyderabad Station; launching of Hi-speed Wi-Fi at Secunderabad and Hyderabad stations and Extension of Karimnagar-Lingampet Jagityal DEMU service up to Morthad.

The South Central Railway is headquartered at the Secunderabad railway station here.

Expressing happiness over the inauguration of the new initiaitives, Union Labour Minister and Secunderabad Lok Sabha member Bandaru Dattatreya said the FOB at Hyderabad station was proposed by him 12 years ago during his earlier tenure as Union Minister.

Some other initiatives inaugurated today were proposed earlier but could not be completed due to shortage of funds and other problems, he said.

The Narendra Modi government is taking steps for expeditious completion of different initiatives, he said.

Describing the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) in Hyderabad as his dream project, Dattatreya said he could complete the first phase of MMTS during his earlier tenure and that the second phase needs to be completed.

The state government needs to release its share of funds for the projects and that he is pursuing with the Railway Minister for implementing different initiatives in Telangana.

State Home Minister N Narasimha Reddy and others were present on the occasion.