Krishnapatnam-Obulavaripalli rail line by 2017-end

Kadapa: Describingd to Rayalaseema as his long cherished dream, Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that construction of rail track between Krishnapatnam and Obulavaripalli in the district would be completed by the end of 2017.

Venkaiah Naidu who was in Kadapa district along with Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and State Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana, inspected the ongoing tunnel works related to the construction of rail track between Krishnapatnam and Obulavaripalli here on Tuesday.

Later, speaking to media persons, Venkaiah Naidu recalled that in order to improve the living standards of Rayalaseema people by providing marketing facilities, he had proposed rail track under Railway Vikas Nigam (RVN) during Vajpayee government.

He said then Railways Minister Nitish Kumar had sanctioned the project though the project was not viable according to existing guidelines keeping in view the interests of Rayalaseema people.

The Union Minister said about 1,900 acres land and 325 acres forest land was acquired for the purpose and the Union government had sanctioned Rs 1,668crores for total project cost, including digging two tunnels for a length of 962 metres and 3,063 metres at a cost of Rs 47 crores per kilometre.

“However, after the NDA government lost power in 2004, the project was stopped during the Congress government and has only been resumed after the BJP-led NDA came to power in 2014 elections,” said Venkaiah Naidu.

He said that first tunnel of 962 metres was completed and the 56 per cent works of 3.063 km total length were over and remaining would be completed very soon.

An amount of Rs 1,168 crores was spent on the project so far he said and added that about 72 km distance would be reduced if the rail track was completed.

On the demand for construction of a steel factory in Kadapa district, the Union Minister said that the Centre had appointed a Task Force Committee (TFC) to study the viability for the project, as different opinions were expressed by the committees which looked into the issue.

Defending the banning of big notes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Venkaiah Nadiu said that people of the country would enjoy the fruits of the decision in future.

Describing demonesitation as labour pains of woman while giving birth to a child, he said ban on high value notes may cause temporary hardships to people but it would yield good results in the long run. Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Narayana and others were also present.