MP Purandeswari seeks funds for railway line

Rajamahendravaram : Rajahmundry MP Daggubati Purandeswari met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and requested to grant funds for the ‘Kovvur - Bhadrachalam Road’ railway line. She recalled that the Ministry of Railways and the Andhra Pradesh government had agreed in 2011 to develop the Kovvur-Bhadrachalam road new line on a 50:50 cost sharing basis at an estimated cost of Rs 923.23 crore.

She said that if this route is established, the distance between Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad will be reduced by 147 km and the running time will be saved. This railway line will be useful and profitable for transporting coal, iron, steel, fertilizers, granite, cement, and rice from Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, and Kakinada ports toward Secunderabad and Nagpur. Apart from that, port connectivity to Telangana state is also possible.

Purandeswari said that the social and economic growth of the backward and tribal areas of the two Telugu states can be accelerated through this railway line.

She explained to the Union Minister that in the budget of 2016-17, Rs 5 crore was sanctioned to prepare the DPR for this project.

DPR was prepared and remained with the Railways.

She thanked the Railway Minister for sanctioning Rs 269.64 crore for the modernisation of Rajahmundry Railway Station. It is estimated that around 7 crore pilgrims will come to Rajahmundry for the Godavari Pushkarams in June 2027.

She asked the Union Minister for some work to be done in preparation for the Godavari Pushkarams.