The Group of Ministers (GoM) looking into the bifurcation of the State is trying hard for creation of visible assets in residuary Andhra Pradesh so that they help assuage the feelings of people of the Seemandhra region.
During its wide ranging consultations with the Secretaries of various Ministries, the GoM is believed to have zeroed in on several infrastructure projects for inclusion in the draft State Reorganisation Bill so that Seemandhra region does not feel let down after bifurcation.
One such visible project is to build an express highway and introduce a high speed train between Hyderabad and the new capital city and make them operational in the shortest possible time.
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The idea is to see that there is considerable traffic movement between the two States, apart from the broader objective of satisfying the Seemandhra people who may not come to grips with the loss of Hyderabad as their capital. Also under consideration is identifying towns and cities in Seemandhra that will have a network of express highways.
Railway zone
Sources said the Centre could consider sanctioning a separate railway zone for Andhra Pradesh once South Central Railway goes to Telangana.
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Technically, Guntur, Vijayawada and Guntakal division fall in SCR limits while Waltair division is part of East Coast Railway. A new zone may be created by merging Guntur, Vijayawada, Guntakal and Waltair divisions. The GoM is also examining a proposal to lay a new railway line from Srikakulam to Nellore.