BRS Delegation Meets Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Seeks Railway and IT Boost for Telangana

CityLightBuzz: New Delhi, A BRS delegation met Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and submitted a series of proposals aimed at accelerating Telangana’s infrastructure and technology development. The delegation stated that the meeting was held in the interest of the state’s progress, with key discussions focusing on railway projects and the revival of Tier-2 IT growth.
One of the primary demands was the establishment of a Kazipet Railway Division as part of the ongoing reorganization of South Central Railway. The delegation proposed that the new division should cover nearly 2,000 track kilometres, including the Kazipet–Balharshah, Peddapalli–Nizamabad, Kazipet–Errupalem, Dornakal–Manuguru, Motamarri–Vishnupuram and Kazipet–Wangapalli sections. They also urged the Centre to examine the proposal for a Kothagudem Railway Division.
The delegation further requested the speedy completion of the 151-km Manoharabad–Siddipet–Siricilla–Vemulawada–Kothapalli broad-gauge railway line, describing it as a long-pending aspiration of the people of Telangana. They pointed out that the 76-km Manoharabad–Siddipet stretch was completed and commissioned in October 2023, while work on the remaining section has slowed considerably.
According to the delegation, the Union Minister informed them that the delay is linked to the pending release of ₹511 crore by the Telangana government and the completion of 96 hectares of land acquisition. The project cost has also increased from ₹1,160 crore to nearly ₹2,780 crore.
Highlighting the importance of the railway line, the delegation said it would significantly benefit Siricilla’s textile industry and improve connectivity to the famous Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy Temple at Vemulawada, which attracts lakhs of devotees every year.
The delegation also sought the inclusion of Siricilla and Vemulawada railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, construction of a rail-cum-road bridge over the Mid Manair Reservoir, electrification of the Kothapalli–Manoharabad railway line, and the formation of a high-level monitoring committee involving South Central Railway and the Telangana government to regularly review project progress.
On the IT front, the delegation highlighted the need to revive Telangana’s Tier-2 IT ecosystem. They noted that several IT towers established in cities such as Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam, Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, Siddipet, Adilabad and Nalgonda during the previous BRS government had helped decentralize employment opportunities beyond Hyderabad.
Expressing concern over the slowdown in IT expansion over the last two years, the delegation urged the Centre to support Telangana through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). They requested the establishment of an IndiaAI Centre/Data Lab in Warangal, an STPI Centre of Entrepreneurship in Karimnagar or Khammam focusing on AI, cybersecurity, semiconductor design and deep-tech, and an additional STPI centre in another Tier-2 city.
The delegation stated that strengthening Telangana’s Tier-2 IT model with central support would generate employment, promote innovation and contribute to balanced digital development across the country.