With ₹450 crore earmarked for infrastructure works there, the Tirupati railway station would get a makeover in the next two years, said Chairman of the Railway Board Vinod Kumar Yadav.
Speaking at the inauguration of a high-mast national flag installed at a cost of ₹21 lakh and a waiting lounge at the station on Thursday, he said, “Tirupati station is being spoken for its cleanliness, which can be attributed to the cooperation of locals andpassengers.”
As regards catering to a rising demand to run more trains to thecity, he said developing a pit line and an assembly line at the Tirupati West railway station would create space for additional platforms. The Tiruchanur station would also be simultaneously developed as an originating point for new trains.
Mr. Yadav said all level crossings between Tirupati and Chandragiri would be replaced either with rail overbridges or underbridges to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
Stating that tendering process was under way for the Rayalacheruvu Road gate work, he thanked former Member of Parliament V. Varaprasada Rao and TUDA Chairman G. Narasimha Yadav for cooperation.
On January 12, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had shared photographs of the lounge on his Twitter handle @PiyushGoyal stating: “Railway station or 5-star hotel? There is a surprise in store for devotees travelling to Balaji temple, with ATITHI, a premium lounge at Tirupati station set to be inaugurated soon”.