South Central Railway (SCR) General Manager P.K. Srivastava has said the Railways was keen on taking forward pending projects in Andhra Pradesh but some of them being Capital-intensive, adequate funding was awaited and the State government was expected to cooperate in acquiring land for achieving speedy progress.
Briefing media persons about the in-camera meeting with MPs from Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal divisions held here on Tuesday, Mr. Srivastava said each one of the MPs obviously wanted the projects in his/her constituency to be given priority but fulfilling their expectations was a tough task as funds have to be mobilised for the projects most of which were sanctioned in the previous Railway budget.
Many proposals came forth for development of Vijayawada, Tirupati, Nellore, Machilipatnam, Krishnapatnam and Kakinada stations which were important for the State. A lot of work was to be done to get those projects going.
The proposed train between Vijayawada and New Delhi would become a reality by March. It was delayed for want of rakes. There was an opinion among the MPs that instead of operating it from Vijayawada, it could be made to originate at Visakhapatnam and Tirupati three times each in a week as the train has to anyway pass through Vijayawada.
Some of the projects like the coach factory at Kurnool and new lines between Narsapuram and Kotipalli, Srikalahasti and Nadikudi and Kurnool and Mantralayam were ‘highly capital-intensive’. Things would start taking shape in the near future.
Mr. Srivastava said the earnings of SCR in the FY 2014-15 were bound to surpass Rs 9,300 crore and it was poised to end the year with freight loading of 118 million tons which was highest in five to six years. Similarly, the operating ratio of 17.50 per cent was the best in as many years.
Guntur MP Jayadev Galla said he presented a note containing 25 points pertaining to development of Guntur division and that the Railway officials were asked to look at the proposals for VGTM region from the Capital perspective.
