Rail users seek extensions for services linking Rayalaseema

The Train Travellers Association has urged railway authorities to expand services connecting Kurnool and the wider Rayalaseema region with destinations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The association welcomed a proposal for a new train between Kurnool and Machilipatnam. It suggested naming the service either the “Fort City Express” or the “Maha Nandi Express” to reflect the region’s historical and cultural identity.

It also asked South Central Railway to extend the Tungabhadra Express to Medchal in the north or Dhone in the south, subject to operational feasibility. The association further proposed extending the Visakhapatnam-Mahabubnagar Express to Kurnool or Guntakal. It said the change would provide a direct rail connection between Rayalaseema and important destinations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Its secretary, Noor Ahmed Ali, highlighted a long-pending proposal for a railway line linking Kurnool with Mantralayam and Adoni. He said the line would improve passenger connectivity and assist the movement of agricultural produce and other goods to major markets. The association also suggested diverting some services from Secunderabad through the Sitaphalmandi-Malkajgiri-Moula Ali chord line.

It proposed that several south-bound trains could originate from or terminate at Kacheguda. It welcomed the proposed expansion of Malkajgiri Railway Station, saying trains serving Kurnool, Bengaluru, Chennai, Nizamabad, Purna and Manmad could be operated from Kacheguda to improve access for passengers in the Secunderabad region.