Raju, a portly man in his 50s, lugs two heavy bags as he scans the platforms at the sprawling Cherlapalli railway station. “Can you tell me on which platform the train to Nanded is arriving,” he asks, beads of sweat forming on his brow despite the gathering clouds.
He and his wife had set off from their home in Malkajgiri, a suburb in Hyderabad, two and a half hours early and paid ₹350 for an autorickshaw just to reach this new terminal, about 11 kilometres away. Moments later, as the skies open up, the couple scramble for cover near a police outpost on platform 1, dodging not just rain but scattered construction material too.
Seven months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the ₹430-crore Cherlapalli terminal — billed as South Central Railway’s (SCR) swanky new passenger hub — the shine is starting to wear thin for many travellers. Daily footfall has jumped from 5,000 to nearly 30,000, with as many as 88 trains now using the station, including 57 on a daily average. Some originating trains from Secunderabad station, almost 11 km away, have been gradually shifted here, as redevelopment work picks up pace at the older terminal.
The idea behind developing Cherlapalli into a full-fledged terminal was to decongest the overburdened Secunderabad station. With long-distance trains increasingly running out of slots at the centrally located junction, SCR began moving select services to Cherlapalli while simultaneously ramping up renovation works at Secunderabad.
Despite the majestic front elevation, spacious parking and two wide foot overbridges opening into each of the nine platforms, the station remains under construction. The platforms are yet to get full roofing, and given the inadequate seating, passengers either huddle at the entrance/ exit buildings, wait on staircases, or loiter near stalls until their train arrives. Digital display boards that are few and far between add to the confusion, forcing passengers to rush with luggage in tow the moment an announcement is made.
A long ride before train journey
For many passengers, however, the biggest deterrent isn’t what is missing inside the station but what lies outside: no direct buses, few autorickshaws and a near-total absence of wayfinding signage. “Public transport connectivity to and from various parts of the city is poor, while auto/ cab fares are exorbitant. Ironically, in many cases, the fare to reach the station is higher than the train ticket itself,” says P. Swaminatha Krishna, an elderly commuter from Gachibowli, nearly 36 km away.
Passengers often pay anywhere between ₹250 and ₹1,500 for an auto or cab to reach the terminal, depending on distance and time of day. “Reaching the station costs way more than the train fare — ₹125 to Visakhapatnam, ₹211 to Chennai or even ₹450 for a sleeper coach. It’s absurd,” says Shankar, a financial analyst and regular traveller from Gautamnagar, a little over 10 km away.
The construction of rooftop is still in progress at Cherlapalli terminal in Hyderabad though the modernised station was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually in January 2025.
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL
While SCR was said to be focussing on improved suburban connectivity, only two MMTS services currently stop here: train no. 47253/54 from Ghatkesar to R.C. Puram via Cherlapalli, Neredmet and Suchitra Junction and 47235/36 from Ghatkesar to Sanatnagar.
“SCR should have linked MMTS services to major stations like Secunderabad, Kacheguda and Nampally. It takes 1 to 1.5 hours to reach Cherlapalli by road,” says P. Bharadwaj, a member of the railway users committee.
“Surely, railway officials can think of innovative solutions for improving available MMTS services. It would be safe, affordable and beneficial for passengers, especially those travelling in unreserved coaches of long-distance trains,” suggests Rakesh Kumar, an IT professional in his 30s, who used to take the suburban trains to Hi-Tec City from Begumpet.
Though senior railway officials had announced plans to introduce more local trains or link Cherlapalli to Secunderabad, these are yet to materialise due to infrastructure and technical constraints.
“Our MMTS trains on other routes are running way below their capacity during their daily run. So, it is doubtful if passengers to Cherlapalli will make use of the services,” says an official, seeking anonymity.
K. Durga Prasad, a senior citizen from Ameerpet, shares: “I took a bus to Secunderabad, hoping to catch another to Cherlapalli. But after a long wait, I had to book a cab to avoid missing the Narsapur Express.”
While he missed the bus, others can at least access Cherlapalli station directly by State-run buses through the Mallapur side, where the expansive entry gate opens to the ninth platform. There is ample parking space and enough carriageway for buses to drive in and wait near the entrance.
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) currently operates 350 trips a day across 14 routes to destinations like Suchitra Junction, Secunderabad, Mehdipatnam, Afzalgunj, Kondapur, Manikonda, Borabanda and Patancheru.
“We have buses, including air-conditioned ones, running every 10 minutes from 3.30 a.m. till midnight. A traffic inspector is stationed round the clock to call in more buses from nearby depots, if needed,” says an RTC official.
Bus timings are displayed prominently on foot overbridges but many passengers hope for better last-mile connectivity across the city. With metro stations like Mettuguda, Tarnaka, Habsiguda, NGRI and Uppal located 10-14 km away, passengers have no choice but to spend an additional ₹300–₹500 to reach the terminal in time.
To add to their woes, there are security concerns during late-night or early-morning hours, especially along isolated stretches.
“It is scary for women and senior citizens. The station is on the outskirts, and the roads leading to it are deserted at odd hours, especially when trains are delayed,” says Prathima, a homemaker in her 50s.
Both approach roads to the terminal — towards platforms 1 and 9 — require widening, even as SCR and the Telangana government continue to pass the buck. The 40-foot-wide lane leading into Mahalakshminagar colony, which connects to platform one, is often clogged with pushcarts, autorickshaws and other parked vehicles.
“It gets chaotic when long-distance trains arrive or depart. We had to break a wall to allow vehicles to turn onto another internal road. There is a road-widening plan, but we are not sure when it will happen,” says a traffic constable at the site.
Both approach roads to the terminal — towards platforms 1 and 9 — require widening, even as the South Central Railway and the Telangana government continue to pass the buck.
| Photo Credit:
File Photo
Most ride-hailing aggregator apps invariably indicate platform 1 via Mahalakshminagar colony as the default pickup and drop-off point. Passengers arriving by TSRTC buses must get off on the main road near Cherlapalli village and walk nearly 500 metres with their luggage to reach the station.
Gaps beneath the gloss
This narrow stretch opens into a small metal shed housing the booking office, where commuters gather to check the digital display board for train updates. Rush builds quickly during ‘peak’ hours, and the escalators and lifts struggle to handle the crowd. While the two foot overbridges are wide, the lifts are often packed during these times.
Passengers like Mr. Krishna cannot help but wonder why a ramp was not planned along one side of the foot overbridge, considering the steep steps and the funds spent on building a ‘modern’ station. “They should have had additional lifts and escalators too,” he says.
The other entry point — platform 9 — has a relatively wider road via the Indian Oil depot and the industrial area. But TSRTC buses often struggle to negotiate the sharp turns near the Weaker Sections Colony.
This stretch, used heavily by oil tankers heading to the IOC depot, adds to the traffic bottleneck, making road widening a pressing need. Although 20 properties have been identified for demolition, the work remains in limbo.
Railways has tossed the road-widening responsibility to the State government. A request by Telangana Minister for IT and Industries D.Sridhar Babu to implement the work “on the lines of an airport” was brushed aside by Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna, who insisted that it was the State’s job and urged him to “convince” Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to act swiftly.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, under whose limits the terminal falls, seems to have shelved the road widening plan after several inspections and meetings.
But passengers point out that Railways can take the initiative by building an alternate approach road through its own land, clearing out defunct staff quarters near Mahalakshminagar. This would align with the route of TSRTC bus 250C and offer better access to platform 1. There is even a proposal to relocate the IOC depot, but no timelines are in sight.
The wrong end of the track?
Some passengers question the choice of Cherlapalli itself when the city’s growth is concentrated around Lingampally, just about 7 km from Gachibowli and 11 km from Hi Tec City. “Why not upgrade that station instead? It is perfectly poised to serve the IT and nearby residential population with better connectivity,” says K. Prithviraj, a resident of Ameerpet.
SCR officials admit Lingampally has little scope for expansion while plans for a new terminal about 11 km away at Vattinagulapally on the city’s western side remain in limbo. Either way, a terminal near Secunderabad was essential, to ease congestion and serve eastern Hyderabad.
Bolarum resident S.R. Murthy says trains diverted to Cherlapalli or Kacheguda should halt at Malkajgiri, as passengers are being overcharged by autos. He also suggests that train tickets mention the arrival time at boarding/alighting stations as there have been instances of people cancelling journeys altogether at Secunderabad itself, unable to reach either Cherlapalli or Kacheguda.
While some halts have been arranged at Malkajgiri, the infrastructure there is far from ready. A narrow foot overbridge and staircase struggle to handle crowds, while the wider one is under construction. Road access too is poor, and given the lack of a traffic police outpost, cabs and autos often fleece passengers, points out Mohammed, a septuagenarian local resident and retired government employee.
Former Uppal BJP MLA N.V.S.S. Prabhakar, a long-time advocate of the Cherlapalli terminal, had staged a protest in April over pending works — approach roads, streetlights and other critical infrastructure. He promised to pursue the matter with both the State government and railway authorities. He, along with Union Minister and Secunderabad MP G.Kishan Reddy, frequently inspected the terminal’s construction progress. But after the grand inauguration, passenger complaints seem to fall on deaf ears.
SCR officials claim they are following up with the State government on road widening and say pending works at Cherlapalli and Malkajgiri stations will be completed “soon”. The new general manager, Sanjay Kumar Shrivastava inspected all the main stations, including Cherlapalli, soon after taking charge. However, there is little clarity on whether concrete measures are being taken to fix access and connectivity issues.
For now, the Cherlapalli terminal stands as a paradox — an airport-style facade at one end and a bare-bones suburban entrance at the other with the approach roads more suited to a semi-urban bus stand. The May incident when heavy rain brought down a section of the false ceiling and metal roofing at the main entrance portico is still fresh in public memory. Luckily, none was injured. Senior SCR officials, including the then general manager, had rushed to oversee repair works and manage damage control.
The inauguration was rushed, under pressure from politicians, despite glaring gaps in quality and infrastructure, admits a senior official of SCR, pleading anonymity: “Add to that, the urgency to decongest Secunderabad due to its ongoing renovation.”
While the SCR chief is rarely accessible to the media, officials authorised to provide information were unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.
Cherlapalli may well be the future face of Hyderabad’s rail network — sleek, spacious and strategically located — but for now, it remains a terminal caught between ambition and arrival. For a showpiece airport-like terminal, the irony isn’t lost on its daily passengers who get almost everything except a smooth journey reaching it.
