Tirupati station redevelopment project fails to take off

Tirupati: Doubts persist over the implementation of Tirupati station redevelopment plans as the project failed to take off during the last four years. The successive governments at the Centre have been saying for long that Tirupati station will be developed as a model station with world-class amenities but nothing was done over the years.

However, since 2017 the proposal gathered momentum when the Railway Board has decided to redevelop the station with an estimated outlay of about Rs 400 crores and prepared plans. The miniature plan was also prepared and has been displayed at the main lobby of the station for over three years now.

At that time, it was intended to take up the project under PPP mode and complete it in three years. Even after four years, the fate of the project has remained the same as the officials have been maintaining that the tender process has not yet completed.

Almost a year ago, Railway authorities maintained that the pre-qualification tendering process was over in which three agencies were shortlisted which includes GMR enterprises private limited. But, till now the final bidding agency was not finalised even after much delay took place.

Already the state government has accorded all approvals to the railways paving the way to go ahead with the project works. On their part railways has increased the operating period of the project to 60 years from the initial plan of 30 years to provide more viability for the project.

Yet, the proposals seem to be not moving in the right direction with which the groundbreaking ceremony could not be seen soon. South Central Railway General Manager Gajanan Mallya has not made any reference to this project during his visit to the station on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Tirupati MP Dr M Gurumoorthy submitted a representation to the visiting Railway Minister Piyush Goyal in Tirumala on Sunday requesting him to release the funds for making Tirupati station as model station. This raises many eyebrows as the project has to be taken up under PPP mode in which the question of government funding will not arise.

The MP also requested the Minister to consider setting up of Balaji railway division and introduction of some new trains. He also expressed the need for speedy completion of Srikalahasti-Nadikudi line.