In a recent announcement, Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao revealed plans for the Telangana Rapid Transit (TRT), a revolutionary rail system aiming to significantly reduce travel time between Hyderabad and various district headquarters across the state.
The TRT, conceptualised by the government led by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, envisions a semi-high-speed ‘At Grade’ rail system with a maximum speed of 180 kmph and an average speed of 100 kmph.
This ambitious initiative aims to connect the capital city with key regions of Telangana, ensuring that major towns and district headquarters are accessible within just 60 minutes.
The implementation of TRT promises to revolutionise travel in the region, with projections indicating that the journey from Hyderabad to Karimnagar could be slashed to a mere 1.25 hours, compared to the current 3.30-hour road travel duration.
This development comes in tandem with the ongoing expansion of the metro rail network, covering 415 km at an estimated cost of Rs 69,000 crore, including the existing 69 km of three metro corridors and the 31 km Airport Metro Corridor.
The TRT initiative outlines nine corridors originating from new metro nodal points on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and outskirts, covering extensive parts of the state.
These corridors, functioning as road-level rail lines with advanced RRTS technology, are expected to cost between Rs 70 crore to Rs 75 crore per km.
The total coverage is projected to span approximately 792 km, with an estimated funding of Rs 55,400 crore, as per the Telangana Today report.
In a bid to optimise efficiency and reduce distances further, the TRT corridors will be strategically planned across open fields, connecting vital towns, road junctions, and existing railway stations.
The comprehensive approach to connectivity is poised to redefine travel standards in Telangana, ushering in an era of rapid and comfortable transit between urban and regional centres.