Date:06/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/06/stories/2009010658940400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

MMTS to get two new trains by April

Special Correspondent

Number of trips to increase from the current 92 services a day

HYDERABAD: The Railways’ insistence to pay about Rs. 15 crore more for supplying the four pending trains (rakes) for full fledged running of phase one of Multi Mode Transit System (MMTS) has paid off.

The government has decided to pay up, following which the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, has agreed to supply two trains by April, official sources said. Once these trains (each having nine coaches) arrive, it will enable MMTS authorities to increase the number of trains from the current 92 services a day to 100 to 105 services.

1.2 lakh passengers

It will also help lug in more than the 1.2 lakh passengers a day in the twin cities across the routes of Secunderabad-Hyderabad-Lingampalli (28 km) and Secunderabad-Falaknuma (15 km), official sources maintained. The new coaches will also be added to some of the services presently being run with six coaches to make into ‘complete’ trains of nine coaches each enhancing the passengers’ carrying capacity.

Escalating costs

Few months ago, the ICF had sent a communication to the government seeking more money due to ‘escalating material and labour costs’.

It also said that additional coaches for the six remaining trains (10 were supplied in 2003) could be taken up in 2009-10 since the Railway Board had cleared the order only in May last year.

Interestingly, the government had paid upto Rs. 100 crore six years ago as part of its 50 per cent share for the MMTS first phase for supply of 16 trains with nine coaches each. And, its earlier stand was not to pay more since the total money was already paid but it appears to have reversed the stance now.

Official sources expect more time for the remaining four trains to come by. In the meantime, the government has also drawn up a plan to improve the passenger amenities at and near the MMTS stations with the help of funds from the World Bank.

A sum of Rs. 53 crore is to be spent for the facilities like developing the approach roads to the stations with wide footpaths across a radius of 2.5 km.