Hyderabad, Oct 11 (IANS): Over 100 trains have been cancelled in Telangana for three days starting Wednesday in view of the rail blockade called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee to press the demand for a separate state.

After dropping hints that trains would run as scheduled and warning protesters of serious action for blocking rail tracks, the railways decided to cancel 59 express and 42 passenger trains as a precautionary measure.

The South Central Railway (SCR) also announced partial cancellation of 40 express trains for the three days of the rail blockade. As many as 70 trains would be diverted, 11 re-scheduled and five regulated, said an SCR statement.

All DHMU (Diesel Hydraulic Multiple Unit) trains have also been cancelled.

MMTS (Multi-Modal Transport System) services or local trains in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad will be operated between Hyderabad and Lingampally, and Secunderabad and Lingampally.

The MMTS trains between Hyderabad and Secunderabad, and Secunderabad and Falaknuma stand cancelled.

The cancelled express trains include major ones between Hyderabad and key destinations like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Tirupathi and Ajmer.

The details of the cancelled, diverted and rescheduled trains can be obtained from the website www.scr.indianrailways.gov.in, the statement added.

During the two-day rail blockade Sep 24 and 25, the railways had cancelled 72 express and 264 passenger trains.

The cancellation of trains was announced a few hours after officials of Andhra Pradesh police and railway police warned the protesters that they would be firmly dealt with if they try to block trains or damage railway property.