Hyderabad: Residents and office goers in and around Ghatkesar and Cherlapally have voiced their frustration over the recently launched MMTS Phase II services. Launched eight months ago with the promise of reducing the travel time to the IT corridor, it offers only a single service to Hitec city.
The inadequate local trains have forced commuters to rely on buses or private vehicles for daily transportation as the railways are yet to introduce the additional services to meet the growing passenger demand.
When the MMTS Phase II began operations, commuters thought it would reduce travel time to the IT corridor to just 60-90 minutes, compared to the usual two-hour commute through the city’s congested intersections.
However, since the inauguration of the Ghatkesar – Lingampally section under MMTS Phase II this year, the SCR has been running with a single service at 7.20 am and a return service at 5.45 pm. Passengers who were unable to catch these services had to resort to alternative modes of transport to reach their destinations.
“When I arrived at Cherlapally station two minutes late, I missed my train. As a result, I was forced to take an auto to Secunderabad railway station, which cost me Rs 300. From there, I took the metro to my workplace in Hitec city,” said C Varadha Raju of Cherlapally.
“Despite the railways’ initiative to connect the eastern and western parts of Hyderabad, the lack of train services from Lingampally after 6 pm poses a challenge to us, especially when the working hours are later than usual,” said Alekhya Reddy, an IT professional from Ghatkesar, adding that it would be a great relief if SCR could introduce at least three morning trains from Ghatkesar, complemented by three return trains from Lingampally.
Meanwhile, the MMTS travellers association has appealed to the SCR to build a station near the Anand Bagh RUB. This demand comes from the heavy workforce in the area who want to use the MMTS services on the Ghatkesar-Lingampally route. They have also asked for an increase in the frequency of train services along this stretch.
“We have started with a single service to assess passenger demand. Once the new Cherlapally terminal becomes operational, additional services will be introduced to help commuters reach their destinations without any hassle,” said an SCR official.
