The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Scope to improve MMTS phase one further

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Scope to improve MMTS phase one further

Scope to improve MMTS phase one further

State needs to release Rs. 18 crore due to ICF to procure pending rakes

At least 100 daily services can be run
Six pending rakes need to be procured

- FILE PHOTO

RUSH HOUR: There has been a substantial increase in the number of commuters for MMTS services after the recent fare hike by APSRTC.

HYDERABAD: The government still has a chance to improve the current phase one operations of the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) within a year.

At least 100 daily services can be run and more number of commuters can be carried if it releases about Rs. 18 crore due to the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, for procuring pending six rakes or trains.

Although fund allocation did show up in the budget proposal presented by Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, senior officials concerned are working to get the powers that be to raise the amount through a bank loan as it was decided few months ago as the original pact was between the State and the Ministry of Railways.

Efforts are also on to get some kind of financial commitment from the government towards phase two so that the same can be conveyed to the Railways for inclusion in its revised budget figures. As far as the pending payment to ICF is concerned, the amount has been growing from Rs. 14.64 crore to Rs. 18 crore in the last three years due to delay in the government’s sanction.

Revised figure

In fact, the ICF has recently revised the figure once again to Rs. 22 crore claiming increased costs and interest payment.

Six rakes or trains will have nine coaches each and some of these new coaches can also be added to services running with six coaches only now. It had earlier supplied 10 trains when the services were launched in 2003.

Officials claim that there has been a substantial increase in the number of commuters for the MMTS services after the recent fare hike by the APSRTC, senior officials claim. However, even if prompt payment comes from the government anytime now, it will take at least a year before the trains arrive here since the ICF is totally busy with manufacture of metro rail coaches for Kolkata and Mumbai, affirm officials.

MMTS trains carry little more than 1.2 lakh passengers a day on the Secunderabad-Hyderabad-Lingampalli (28 km) and Secunderabad-Falaknuma (15 km) routes.

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