Divisional Railway Manager Narendra A. Patil attending Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s virtual press conference on the budget allocation for railway projects in A.P. in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said the Centre allocated ₹9,151 crore for railway projects in Andhra Pradesh in the Budget presented on Tuesday.
The budget will be utilised on new lines, doubling works, development of stations, improvement of infrastructure and other amenities for passengers, the Minister said during a virtual press conference.
Mr. Vaishnaw said various railway projects, valued about ₹74,000 crore, were in different stages across the State. In all, 73 railway stations were being developed under the Amrit Bharat Stations Scheme, he said.
As for the establishment of South Coast Railway Zone (Visakhapatnam Railway Zone), the Minister said the land offered by the State government has a backwaters problem. “We request Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to allocate suitable land,” the Minister said.
The Amaravati station, on the Yerrupalli-Nambur new line in Guntur railway division, is also under process. The Railway Board and NITI-Aayog have given approval for a detailed project report for the new station.
The 56.53-km new line, which includes a bridge on the Krishna river, is estimated to cost ₹2,047 crore. “The project is very important in A.P., and top priority is being given to the new line,” Mr. Vaishnaw said.
Divisional Railway Manager (DRM-Vijayawada) Narendra A. Patil said 100% electrification of lines has been achieved in the State. “Out of 23 stations being developed under Amrit Bharat Stations Scheme in Vijayawada railway division, Rajamahendravaram, Vijayawada and Nellore stations would be developed with all facilities under the scheme,” the DRM said.
Kotipalli-Narsapur section; a third line between Vijayawada and Gudur; Machilipatnam-Narsapur new line; and the laying of a third and a fourth line between Nidadavole and Duvvada; and other major projects will be taken up with the fresh budget, he said.
Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM-Operations) Konda Srinivas Rao, ADRM-Infrastructure P.E. Edwin, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager V. Rambabu, Senior Divisional Engineer (Coordination) Varun Babu and other officers were present.
