Hyderabad commuters lose low-cost travel as MMTS services shrink
HYDERABAD: Suburban commuters in Hyderabad are being pushed away from affordable rail travel as the South Central Railway continues to cut MMTS services without offering clear alternatives.
Despite repeated reductions in MMTS frequencies, the railway has not provided adequate information on substitute passenger, MEMU and DEMU trains. Inquiry counters at stations are also failing to guide commuters, forcing many to rely on private transport.
MMTS ridership drops sharply
At its peak, MMTS carried around 15 lakh commuters daily. That figure has now dropped to about 60,000. Officials attribute the fall to reduced services and poor punctuality. However, the railway has not announced any concrete steps to attract passengers back.
At present, South Central Railway operates 23 pairs of MMTS services between Lingampally and Ramachandrapuram. There is one service between Ramachandrapuram and Nampally, eight services from Lingampally to Nampally, and 10 in the reverse direction. Seven services run on the Medchal route. One service operates between Ramachandrapuram and Ghatkesar, and another between Sanathnagar and Ghatkesar. Two services run between Medchal and Hyderabad, and between Medchal and Falaknuma.
Passenger and MEMU trains as alternatives
Several passenger trains stop at Malakpet, Dabirpura, Yakutpura, Falaknuma, Shivarampalli, Budvel and Umdanagar. The Kacheguda–Raichur Passenger departs Kacheguda at 10.35 am. The Raichur–Kacheguda MEMU Passenger and the Kacheguda–Mahabubnagar DEMU Passenger also operate on this route.
On the Umdanagar–Medchal section, the Guntakal–Bodhan Passenger is available. The Falaknuma–Wadi Passenger, which runs via Begumpet and Hafeezpet to Lingampally, departs at 5 am, connecting Kacheguda and Secunderabad.
On the Medchal route, the Kacheguda–Bodhan and Kacheguda–Medak Passenger trains, along with DEMU services, operate regularly. These trains are useful for daily wage workers travelling to Sitaphalmandi, Malkajgiri, Dayanandnagar, Safilguda, Alwal and Gundlapochampalli.
Passenger, MEMU and DEMU trains also run from Kacheguda to Charlapalli and Ghatkesar, including services to Nadikude and Miryalaguda. Commuters can alight from express trains at Charlapalli and reach Kacheguda directly.
