Mahabubnagar now linked to coastal AP with train extension

Hyderabad: Union tourism minister G Kishan Reddy on Saturday flagged off the Mahabubnagar–Visakhapatnam Express at the Mahabubnagar railway station. This is the first direct train connecting Mahabubnagar and coastal Andhra.
Speaking on the occasion, Kishan Reddy said that the new train would connect the people of Palamuru region directly with Kacheguda and beyond, including important cities like Kazipet, Warangal, Vijayawada, Eluru, etc.
“The rail developments in Telangana region have been progressing at a fast pace in recent years in terms of rail infrastructure, electrification, and provision of passenger amenities. Towards improving connectivity, the Centre has undertaken doubling of Secunderabad-Mahabubnagar line at a cost of 1,400 crore,” Kishan Reddy said.
Previously, the Visakhapatnam Express (train number 12861/12862) used to start from Kacheguda to Visakhapatnam. Now, the train has been extended up to Mahabubnagar to provide direct connectivity to various destinations in coastal Andhra Pradesh. The people of the region would now be able to travel directly to Warangal, Khammam, Rayanapadu (Vijayawada), Eluru, Rajahmundry, Annavaram, Visakhapatnam, etc. The train also caters to both reserved and unreserved segments of people with the composition of AC 2 tier, AC 3 tier, sleeper class and general coaches.