Title - Funds start flowing for Multi-Modal Suburban Rail Transport System Phase II

HYDERABAD: The Multi-Modal Suburban Rail Transport System (MMTS) Phase-II project received a shot in the arm on Friday after the state government sanctioned Rs 6.25 crore towards the first instalment of its annual share for 2012-13.The MMTS Phase-II project was planned at an estimated cost of Rs 632 crore, of which two-thirds was to be borne by the state government and the remaining by Indian Railways. The government had announced that it would allocate Rs 25 crore during the current financial year as its share for 2012-13. The central government, through the railway budget, has recently sanctioned Rs 99 crore for the project.The stretches which will be developed under Phase-II include Falaknuma-international airport, Tellapur-Patancheru, Secunderabad-Bolarum, Sanathnagar-Moula Ali, Moula Ali-Malkajgiri-Sitaphalmandi, Bolarum-Medchal and Moula Ali-Ghatkesar. Improvement of passenger amenities at different stations in the city and manufacturing of coaches are also part of the project outline for MMTS Phase-II.The MMTS currently serves a daily 1.6 lakh passengers, which is a major jump from last year's 1.2 lakh passengers per day. Phase II is slated for completion during the current Five-Year Plan (2012-17). The project, however, cannot take off unless a Special Purpose Vehicle, as stipulated by the railway board, is constituted. A spokesperson for South Central Railways told TOI that the SPV would be a joint venture of Indian Railways and the state government.Deliberations on the modalities of setting up the SPV are underway. Work on the project can only begin after the railway board approves the proposed model of the SPV.