VIJAYAWADA: In a shot in the arm for Amaravati, the Union Cabinet has approved a railway line for the State capital. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday.
Spanning 57 kilometres, the new railway line will be built with an investment of Rs 2,245 crore in four years. A 3.2-km-long railway bridge will also be constructed on River Krishna to facilitate the railway line, which will provide direct connectivity with Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Nagpur. It will also provide connectivity to Delhi from Nagpur and to Mumbai from Hyderabad.
In a tweet on X, Modi said, “In a boost to infrastructure, the Union Cabinet has approved two railway projects which will boost connectivity and commerce in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Telangana.”
Terming it a dream project, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav thanked the Prime Minister for approving it and the State government for extending cooperation.
Elaborating on the railway project, Vaishnav said the reference point will be the Krishna River. The railway line will start from Yerrupalem on the Vijayawada – Kazipet line and reach Namburu station. It will also be a parallel path to the existing Howrah – Chennai line. “We looked at various options and selected an alignment which will be beneficial in the long run for Amaravati as well as Andhra Pradesh,” he explained. The project will generate employment for 19 lakh human days and result in emission of six crore kg carbon dioxide.
Besides major cities, Vaishnav highlighted, Amaravati will also be connected to ports at Machilipatnam, Krishnapatnam, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and others.
Thanking the Prime Minister and the Union Cabinet, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu noted that Amaravati will be connected to capital cities of several States with the new railway line. Further, he requested Vaishnav that the proposed bridge on the River Krishna be built as an iconic bridge.
Stating that the Centre has extended all support for developing Amaravati, Naidu, while participating in the virtual conference, urged the Railway Minister to initiate measures for completing the new rail line within three years instead of the proposed four.
Lauding Vaishnav’s efforts in tabling the proposal for the new railway line in Amaravati and getting it approved by the Cabinet within a short span, the Chief Minister requested him to complete the construction in three years as the project will be greatly beneficial.
Modi to lay stone for Vizag Railway Zone in Nov or Dec
Emphasising that railway works worth Rs 70,000 crore, including modernisation, are underway in the State, Naidu said, “We have already resolved the issue pertaining to the railway zone, which was pending since long.” He announced that the foundation stone for the project will be laid by the Prime Minister on an auspicious day in November or December.
He added that the matching grant, which is due from the State, will be released on time. The Chief Minister asserted that the State government will extend cooperation in land acquisition and other aspects for the Amaravati railway line project.
