SCR gets Rs 4,418 crore, 45% excess than 2022

Hyderabad: The South Central Railways (SCR) of the two Telugu states has been allocated the highest ever budget of Rs 13,786.19 crore for the year 2022-23 which is around 65 per cent higher than the previous budget which was Rs 9,125 crore. SCR in Telangana has been allocated Rs. 4,418 crore, 45 percent more than last year.

While speaking virtually, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, said, "This year, massive budget has been allocated for the two Telugu states. Various project will be taken up and we have also planned to set up various convenience store at railway stations. The railways has also planned to develop and finish the design and production of Vande Metro, the mini version of Vande Bharat.

In Telangana 39 station are been selected for re-development and will be equipped with world class facilities.

Presenting the budget for SCR, Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager, SCR, said, "There has been a consistent increase in the funds allocation to Telangana in successive budgets in recent times.

The current year's allocation is almost five times the average allocation done during 2014-22. A total budgetary grant of Rs 3,374.44 crore has been allocated for doubling, third line and bypass line works and for new lines, the total budgetary grant including Capital and Safety Fund (excl Deposit) is Rs 819 Crore and Rs 588 crore for the enter South Central zone and for electrification works.

The budget allocations for some of the important Safety related works during 2023-24 include Rs 768.14 crore for Road Safety Works (Level Crossings, Bridges and ROB/RUB), as compared to allocation of Rs 758 crore previous year. An amount of Rs 68.34 crore has been allocated for implementation of Kavach that is the indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). Rs. 82 Crore allotted for development of Satellite terminal at Cherlapalli Station. Stretching about the development of Railways in Telangana the GM said Rs 600 crore has been allotted for MMTS Phase II project which was sanctioned in the year 2012-13 with the sanctioned cost of Rs 817 Crore. It is a joint project of the Ministry of Railways and Telangana government on the basis of cost-sharing (one third by the SCR and two third by the State government). But an approximate amount of Rs 400 crore is still pending from the state government for the project.