Secunderabad rly station set for complete makeover, redevelopment underway
Hyderabad: After a century and a half, the Secunderabad Railway Station is set to take a makeover. The railway authorities have begun dismantling parts of the old structure including the main building and RPF office.
The iconic station is losing its identity as Nizam-era architecture as the railway department is modernising it under the massive Rs. 700 crore redevelopment project. The project aims to redevelop it as a world-class railway station with a ground-plus-three-floor building.
Under the redevelopment project, one of the busiest railway stations in India, will get a sky concourse, multi-level and underground parking, travelators, lifts and escalators. For the convenience of passengers, the facility will also have dedicated spaces for retail outlets, cafeterias and recreational areas.
The project will not only address the infrastructural deficiencies of the existing station but also aims to fix long-standing issues such as plumbing and congestion. The reconstruction work is being carried out in a phased manner to avoid disruption of services and inconvenience to passengers. The authorities will move some trains to the Cherlapally terminal next month while platform number one continues to serve passengers. The construction for a multi-level car parking facility is underway with the demolition of a 100-metre section near the Ganesh temple on the northern side of the temple. On the southern side, 90 percent of basement construction is completed. The ground floor will be designated as a drop-off zone.
The building which houses the existing Secunderabad railway station was constructed in 1874 and it served as the principal terminal of Nizam’s Guaranteed State Railway (NGSR). After the merger of Nizam’s Railways with Indian Railways in 1951, the station underwent significant renovation in 1952.
