Speaking to reporters after the HYSEA GCCS & IT Roundtable at the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Minister Vaishnaw stated that the high-speed corridors would integrate the regional economies and transform the urban landscape.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given three high-speed bullet train corridors to Hyderabad, which will change its landscape. From Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Chennai, and Hyderabad to Bengaluru–this will become a major game-changer for the entire region. Hyderabad will become the high-speed hub. It will bring a huge amount of development, and the economies of this entire region will become fully integrated,” the Minister said.
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Highlighting the growth in the technology sector, Vaishnaw added that Telangana has been a significant beneficiary of the Centre’s electronics manufacturing programs.
“More than a hundred electronics manufacturing companies have been promoted under the electronics manufacturing programs of the Government of India, where Telangana has been a big beneficiary. In railways, a Rs 5,400 crore budget is being given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Telangana. Because of that, a huge change is happening,” he noted.
Earlier, during the roundtable, the Minister also provided an update on the ongoing “Nav-Nirmaan” (reconstruction) of railway stations across India, stating that 261 stations have already been completed at an “unprecedented pace.”Vaishnaw highlighted the scale of the transformation in Telangana, specifically mentioning the work at Secunderabad, Begumpet, and HITEC City stations. Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy and BJP State President N Ramchander Rao were also present at the event.
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Focusing on the iconic Secunderabad station, Vaishnaw noted that it is being developed in a “totally new form” despite the logistical challenge of maintaining regular train traffic.
“In the world, when they do a railway redevelopment work, they stop the traffic. We cannot stop the traffic. We have to do with great care while the traffic is still there. We are constructing an air concourse, which is like a roof over all the platforms, while trains are actually moving. We are working very diligently with a focus on safety and quality,” the Minister said.
Launching a sharp attack on the previous Congress-led governments, Vaishnaw asserted that the current administration has moved beyond superficial upgrades.
“From 1947 onwards, no government ever took the redevelopment, which is the complete reconstruction of the stations which were old. Yes, sometimes paint was done, and ribbons were cut, but our Prime Minister took the challenge of fully transforming 1,300 stations,” he added.
Providing a roadmap for the future, the Minister informed that the target is to complete 400 stations by the end of this year and 700 by the end of next year.
Regarding the progress in Telangana, Vaishnaw stated that several key stations are now ready for the public.
“Begumpet station is completed and will very soon be inaugurated by the Prime Minister. HITEC City is already completed–go and see it, have good coffee there. Warangal and Karimnagar are also done,” he said. He also mentioned that redevelopment work is progressing at Hyderabad (Nampally), Kazipet Junction, and Malakpet stations.