Bullet train projects will be game-changers for Telangana: Kishan Reddy

The total cost of the three proposed high-speed rail corridors connecting Hyderabad to Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai, could rise to nearly ₹10 lakh crore on completion, up from the initial estimate of about ₹5 lakh crore, due to the likely escalation to rising land prices and land acquisition costs, said Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Friday.

Describing the Centre’s decision as a landmark move, Mr. Kishan Reddy said Telangana stands to benefit significantly, as it will host three of the seven proposed high-speed corridors in the country. Survey work for these routes is progressing rapidly, he told the media after laying the foundation stone for road works in Rangareddy district.

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) would be prepared immediately after the survey is completed, adding that a clear action plan has been drawn up to mobilise financial resources. “Once the DPR is ready, we will complete the tendering process and begin construction at the earliest. These bullet train projects will be game-changers for Telangana,” he said.

Apart from high-speed rail, Mr. Reddy highlighted the progress of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project aimed at strengthening Hyderabad’s transport network. Land acquisition for the northern stretch is advancing swiftly, with the project expected to cost between ₹20,000 crore and ₹25,000 crore.

Later, speaking at an Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme event, he said the National Career Service portal indicates that over 3.43 crore jobs need to be generated in the private sector this financial year—posing both a challenge and an opportunity.

He noted that nine Free Trade Agreements with 38 countries could open new avenues for youth employment. The Prime Minister’s ‘Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana’, with an outlay of ₹99,446 crore, aims to create and support over 3.5 crore jobs within two years.

In Telangana, about 25,000 organisations have registered under the scheme, with over 18,000 already creating additional jobs. Mr. Reddy added that skill development programmes and startup initiatives have also contributed significantly to employment generation, reinforcing the state’s growth trajectory. Labour & Employment Minister G. Viveknand also spoke.