The ground work relating to the new 106-km railway line from Vijayawada to Guntur connecting the capital Amaravati gathered pace with the South Central Railway (SCR) submitting a modified detailed estimate for ₹1,732.56 crore to the Railway Board last week.
South Central Railway General Manager Vinod Kumar Yadav told The Hindu that the estimate was revised following the advice of the Board. In January this year, the Board advised the SCR to examine the “smallest possible stretch” to connect Amaravati. It was then that the project and cost of new broad gauge single lines, between Errupalem-Nambur stations (56.8 km) via Amaravati; between Amaravati and Pedakurapadu (23.78 km) and Sattenapalli-Narasaraopet (26.25 km) was revised. The Board on June 14, approved Errupalem-Nambur section, while deciding to consider other links later.
Project cost
Mr. Yadav said the progress relating to this project was reviewed during a recent meeting with officials of the State government. The officials were told about the equal sharing of project cost and provision of land free of cost.
About the other major new line from Nadikudi to Srikalahasti, he said the section from New Piduguralla to Savalyapuram (45 km) was slated for completion this year. Work on a small stretch at the beginning of this section was affected owing to a case pending in the High Court. But papers relating to land acquisition for other parts of the section had been submitted to the State government. On the other new line Kadapa-Bengaluru (255 km), phase one (Kadapa-Pendlimarri 21 km) has been completed and commissioned, while land acquisition was in progress for other sections.
New zone
Asked about the demand for separate railway zone with Visakhapatnam as headquarters, Mr. Yadav said the Railway Ministry would have to respond to the issue.
To a question, Mr. Yadav said there were no issues with State government over cost sharing and allotment of land free of cost in respect of some of these projects. “All the issues are sorted out in the frequent meetings we have with the State officials”.
Electrification
On the progress of the some of the electrification projects, Mr. Yadav said the Nallapadu-Pagidipalli (285 km) project would be completed next year. About 5,030 foundations, 3,428 mast erection and 100 km of wiring had been completed and work on 60 km more would be accomplished soon. The Guntakal-Bellary-Hospet (48 km) would be completed by December this year, though it has run into problems following a failed contract. In the last four years, the SCR has completed 622 route km of electrification.
Station development
The plan for redevelopment of seven stations was going on well with Tirupati, Vijayawada and Nellore getting a big facelift and vast improvement in passenger amenities.
Mr. Yadav said he accorded top priority to passenger safety and all unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) in the zone would be eliminated by September this year. Trials were going on for the indigenously designed Traffic Alert and Collission Avoidance System to strengthen safety in running of trains.
