RTI analysis reveals years of delays in Telangana railway crossing projects
HYDERABAD: A review of an official Right to Information (RTI) reply issued by South Central Railway has highlighted significant delays in the execution of railway overbridge (ROB) and railway underbridge (RUB) projects across Telangana, raising concerns over road safety, land acquisition and coordination between the Railway and the State government.
Nearly half the projects remain incomplete
According to the analysis of South Central Railway’s RTI reply (No. W.50/RTI/Statistics/2026 dated June 30, 2026), 211 ROB and RUB projects were tracked in Telangana. Of these, about 51% have been completed and the corresponding level crossings closed. The remaining projects are reported to be delayed due to land acquisition, funding issues, repeated design revisions and coordination challenges between multiple agencies.
The analysis states that commuters continue to face long waits at level crossings while several sanctioned projects remain incomplete.
Land acquisition identified as major hurdle
The analysis identifies land acquisition as the principal reason for delays. It states that several projects have completed preliminary notification stages, but final land possession, joint surveys involving revenue officials and landowners, and transfer of land have remained pending for years.
It estimates that many projects have remained in the land acquisition stage for more than four-and-a-half years, delaying the closure of active level crossings.
Funding changes affected project timelines
The analysis also points to a policy change after the Telangana government withdrew its cost-sharing consent in May 2024 through a letter issued by the Special Secretary on May 16, 2024.
According to the analysis, several projects were subsequently shifted to full Railway funding. While this reportedly enabled work on some projects to continue, it also increased the financial burden on the Railway and required revised project planning, contributing to further delays.
Coordination challenges highlighted
The RTI reply, as cited in the analysis, indicates that information relating to ROB and RUB projects is maintained by multiple Railway offices, including the Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Railway Safety Programme, Divisions and Gati Shakti units.
The analysis argues that fragmented responsibility between the Railway, which constructs bridges, and the State government, which handles land acquisition and approach roads, has complicated project implementation and accountability.
Telangana’s Level Crossing Nightmare: 5+ Years of Delays, Broken Promises & Public Suffering!!
A detailed analysis of South Central Railway’s official RTI reply (No. W.50/RTI/Statistics/2026 dated 30.06.2026) reveals a grim picture.
Out of 211 ROB/RUB projects tracked in… pic.twitter.com/ph4zKQqQPl
— Robin Zaccheus (@RobinZaccheus) July 3, 2026
Safety concerns and suggested reforms
The analysis says prolonged delays continue to expose road users to risks at operational level crossings and contribute to traffic congestion, economic losses and public inconvenience.
It recommends creating a joint task force with time-bound targets, introducing a public project-monitoring dashboard, standardising bridge designs, establishing a shared land acquisition tracking system and exploring special purpose vehicle or hybrid funding models for delayed projects.
The analysis concludes that faster coordination between the Railway and the Telangana government is necessary to complete pending projects and improve public safety at railway crossings.
