South Central Railway and Telangana's Roads and Buildings Department are ramping up preparations for the upcoming Sankranti festival, anticipating massive passenger and vehicle rushes. With special trains connecting key regions and directives to ease highway congestion, authorities aim to ensure smooth travel for millions heading home or to celebrations.
Massive train operations for festival rush
South Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer A Sridhar announced around 150 special trains to accommodate the Sankranti rush, primarily serving the Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. These trains extend connections to North, East, and South India, including special services linking Tirupati and Shirdi- popular pilgrimage spots drawing huge crowds during the festival. In total, over 600 trains will operate continuously through the season. This expansion addresses the expected deluge of passengers, especially at major hubs like Secunderabad railway station.
Station shifts to tackle redevelopment challenges
Secunderabad station faces a unique challenge: it's undergoing major redevelopment works amid the festival peak, potentially causing bottlenecks for incoming travelers. To mitigate this, South Central Railway has permanently shifted several key trains to alternative stations- Charlapalli, Kacheguda, and Lingampalli- while temporarily relocating others.
These proactive measures aim to decongest the station and provide seamless access for passengers. Sridhar emphasized that such steps will prevent disruptions during the high-traffic period.
Highway preparations for 1 lakh daily vehicles
Telangana Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy chaired a meeting with officials, forecasting about one lakh vehicles per day on the crucial Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway- a key route for Sankranti travelers. He issued directives to ensure a hassle-free journey, aligning with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's focus on passenger convenience.
Reddy plans to personally monitor roads, even traveling by motorcycle, underscoring a hands-on approach to achieve "congestion-free" travel.
Push for toll plaza freeways and Medaram Jathara support
To curb traffic jams at toll plazas, Reddy has written to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, urging the introduction of freeways. He's ready to meet Gadkari soon and, if needed, have the state make nominal payments to facilitate this. Additionally, Reddy requested support for lakhs of devotees attending the Medaram Jathara, Telangana's major tribal festival in January, ensuring they face no travel hurdles.
