Overview
- State and railway officials said Monday the proposal remains under review, and any June 2 start is unconfirmed pending Railway Board clearance.
- The government formally sent its pitch on April 7 for a one-year pilot that makes MMTS suburban trains free for all riders.
- South Central Railway asked for a draft Memorandum of Understanding and said it will decide the number of trains and their timings.
- Telangana offered to reimburse foregone ticket revenue, reported at about Rs 10 crore a year, using zero-value tickets to track trips.
- Officials expect a jump in demand on a network now carrying about 38,000–42,000 daily, down from over 100,000 before COVID, so capacity and Railway Protection Force planning are in focus.