Committed for AP development: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal

​• Announces stops and extensions for existing trains

Nellore: Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal said the Centre will extend its support for AP people as they had committed for it saying they had taken up Rs. 1,830 Cr worth projects for the benefit of the region now. He participated in the programme at Nellore Main Railway Station in connection with inauguration/laying foundations for various projects by the Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday and said game-changing infrastructure has been developed in the region.

He said Mahatma is the spirit for cleanliness in all trains, stations and all premises saying they had converted normal toilets as bio-toilets. South Central Railways bagged the second position in 2017 and second position in 2018 for implementing various measures. 

He said they have been cleaning trains, stations, and laundry activity through 100 pc mechanization and also said entire stations covered with CCTV cameras for continuous monitoring. He said Rs. 1,656 Cr worth railway line in the region is a landmark development. He said they had doubled the single lines soon after assuming power at the Centre and said they are going for third and fourth lines as part of expansion. 

He said passenger train movement starts on Krishnapatnam-Obulavaripalli line from Dec 25 this year from Venkatachalam. He said they had taken up 20 new railway projects for the last four years. New railway lines were 290 km from 2009 to 2014 and it was 1,045 km from 2014 to till the date during their regime, he explained. New MEMU express between Nellore and Chennai Central was flagged off by the Vice President during the programme. 

Railway Minister’s announcements: 

Vijayawada-Dharmavaram express train has been made daily service from Friday. Bhubaneswar-Mumbai Konark express will have a new halt at Pithapuram. LTT to Karaikal express will be having a halt at Rajampet from Feb 24. Howrah-Vijayawada Humsafar express will be extended up to Tirupati from 24th. Cuttack Berhampur passenger train will be extended up to Itchapuram in Srikakulam district from Mar 3. 

Visakha Palasa passenger service will be extended up to Brahmapur. Miryalaguda-Kachiguda DEMU will be extended up to Nadikudi. 

Railway Minister announced an intercity express between Gudur and Vijayawada soon after completion of the Railway Project in the district which starts at 6.10 am in Gudur and reaches Vijayawada at 10.25 am.