MMTS is a pocket-friendly mass carrier

Railways offers cheaper and eco-friendly public transport to suburbs, offers to extend reach if govt. relents on MMTS Phase II

Petrol and diesel prices have been on the rise, as also the bus fares of the TSRTC, causing a hole in the pockets of the commuters. With the metro rail services moving within the dense corridors of the twin cities, citizens, perhaps, can consider using the unheralded Multi ModalTransport Service (MMTS), the unique joint venture of the State government and SouthCentral Railway (SCR) for moving within the city plus in and out of the suburbs.

Although, the fate of the near complete Phase II, connecting places like Ghatkesar and others hang in balance, the phase I opened back in 2003 is up and running following the restoration of services from June last year after a gap of more than 15 months due to COVID pandemic.

The non-AC trains with free circulation of air have been seeing rising footfalls with about 70,000 passengers using the utility daily. Before, the pandemic hit the world, more than a lakh passengers used to travel with about 121 services. It continues to be one of the cheapest, safe and environment friendly mode of public transport system with 86 services restored connecting Hyderabad-Secunderabad-Lingampally-Falaknuma-Ramachandrapuram of the first phase 50 km. 

Minimum fare continues to be ₹5 and maximum fare ₹ 15. Season ticket facility is also available for daily commuters of MMTS which is very less when compared to the other modes of transport. Covering 29 railway stations, connecting the south and eastern parts of the city to the fast growing western part, senior officials have claimed that MMTS timings have been scheduled to meet travel needs of different segment of passengers, giving importance to passenger traffic and destinations. 

Services commence as early as 04.30 a.m. and continue till 00.30 at midnight. Tickets can be purchased at the booking counters, Automatic TicketVending Machines (ATVMs) and Unreserved TicketingSystem (UTS) mobile app. Senior railway officials also informed that suburban train services are now available between Secunderabad and Umdanagar, which is 6.5 km from Shamshabad and covering Medchal too with fares between ₹10-₹15.  

SCR General Manager incharge Arun Kumar Jain appealed to the passengers to avail the MMTSfacilities as it is “best mode of transport to reach the destination safely in a cost effective manner”.

MMTS Trains are available between the following routes:  23services between Lingampalli – Falaknuma from 5.50 a.m. till 9.45p.m. with stops atChandanagar, Hafizpeta, Hitech City, Borabanda, Bharatnagar,Fatehnagar, Nature care hospital, Begumpet, Sanjeeviah park, Jamesstreet, Sitaphalmandi, Art college, Jamai Osmania, Vidyanagar,Kacheguda, Malakpet, Dabirpura, Yakutpura and Huppuguda stations,