Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of various railway stations in Andhra Pradesh as part of redevelopment of 553 railway stations across the nation at a total cost of ₹19,000 crore, under the second phase of Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), on Monday.
These include 13 railway stations under Guntur railway division (11 in Andhra Pradesh and two in Telangana State), 10 stations under Vijayawada Division and eight railway stations in the Andhra Pradesh portion of Waltair Division.
Facilities such as waiting halls, Wi-Fi, escalators, lifts, circulating area, executive lounges, premium modular toilets, water kiosks, modern signage arrangements, extensive cover over the platforms and lighting system will be provided in the selected stations under the scheme.
The 10 railway stations under Vijayawada division to be developed at a cost of ₹460.98 crore are Rajahmundry, Anaparthi, Bapatla, Chirala, Gudivada, Gunadala, Machilipatnam, Rayanapadu, Samalkot and Elamanchili.
Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, who participated in the programme at Gunadala railway station, unveiled the plaque on Monday.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani), MLA Malladi Vishnu, Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, Collector S. Dilli Rao and others participated.
Indian Railways has taken up redevelopment of 11 railway station at a cost of ₹270 crore under the first phase of ABSS in Vijayawada Division. They are — Anakapalle, Bhimavaram Town, Eluru, Kakinada Town, Narsapur, Nidadavolu, Ongole, Singarayakonda, Tadepalligudem, Tenali and Tuni.
In Andhra Pradesh, 72 stations have been identified for redevelopment under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of ₹3,141 crore, in a phased manner. Out of which the Prime Minister laid foundation for 10 stations and 25 Rail Underpasses, to be constructed at a cost of ₹160.39 crore, in Vijayawada division, said DRM Narendra A. Patil, who participated in the programme.
BJP national secretary Y. Satya Kumar, DRM M. Ramakrishna and BJP district president Vanama Narendra Kumar were among those who participated in the programme at Guntur railway station.
The Prime Minister virtually performed bhumi puja for renovation and beautification of Rajamahendravaram railway station, to be taken up at a cost of ₹272 crore, under ABSS. Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat, BC Welfare Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna and East Godavari District Collector K. Madhavilatha were present.
The railway stations in the Andhra Pradesh portion of Waltair Division being redeveloped in the second phase of ABSS are Simhachalam, Araku, Parvatipuram, Bobbili, Kottavalasa, Chipurupalle, Srikakulam Road and Naupada. They would be developed at a cost of ₹149 crore.
The Prime Minister had already laid the foundation for redevelopment of Visakhapatnam, Duvvada and Vizianagaram railway stations in the Andhra Pradesh portion of Waltair Division in the past.
BJP MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, Divisional Railway Manager Saurabh Prasad and BJP State vice president P. Vishnu Kumar Raju were among those who participated in the programme at Simhachalam railway station.
