Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the central government has allocated a substantial Rs 9,151 crore for railway initiatives in Andhra Pradesh under the Budget 2024-25.
Minister Vaishnaw elucidated that this significant financial outlay would be dedicated to various facets such as new line constructions, doubling projects, station enhancements, infrastructural advancements, and augmentation of passenger conveniences.
He underscored that a myriad of railway projects, aggregating an estimated Rs 74,000 crore, are currently in various phases of execution across the state. Furthermore, 73 railway stations are undergoing development under the Amrit Bharat Stations Scheme.
Among the pivotal undertakings to be executed with this new budget are the Kotipalli-Narsapur segment, a tertiary line between Vijayawada and Gudur, the Machilipatnam-Narsapur new line, as well as the construction of tertiary and quaternary lines between Nidadavolu and Duvvada, among others.
Concerning the establishment of the South Coast Railway Zone (Visakhapatnam Railway Zone), Vaishnaw noted that the land proffered by the state government is encumbered with backwater issues. He implored Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to allocate an appropriate parcel of land for the project, as reported by The Hindu.
The Amaravati station, situated on the Yerrupalli-Nambur new line within the Guntur railway division, is also progressing. A detailed project report for the new station has received approvals from both the Railway Board and NITI Aayog.
The 56.53-kilometer new line, encompassing a bridge over the Krishna River, is projected to cost Rs 2,047 crore. Vaishnaw emphasized the paramount importance of this project for Andhra Pradesh, stating that top priority is being accorded to the new line.
Moreover, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM-Vijayawada) Narendra A. Patil announced the successful achievement of 100 percent electrification of railway lines within the state.