Andhra Pradesh: South Central Railway commissions 69 km double railway line in record time

VIJAYAWADA:   In a record time, the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) completed and commissioned 69 km of doubling of railway line between Uppaluru-Gudivada-Moturu and Gudivada-Machilipatnam on Thursday. 

The newly-commissioned double rail line section forms part of Vijayawada-Gudivada-Bhimavaram-Narsapur, Gudivada-Machilipatnam and Narsapur-Nidadavolu doubling and electrification project of SCR, which is being executed at a cost of  Rs 3,000 crore. 

The plans for the project were formalised by the Rail Ministry and work was entrusted to RVNL, the Public Sector Undertaking of the ministry. Accordingly, the project execution has been taken up in different phases. 

Out of the total length of 221 km of the project, 124 km is now completed while the balance of 97 km is due for completion by mid-2021. The record 69 km commissioning of double line was achieved by first completing the section between Gudivada-Machilipatnam, followed by completion of Uppaluru-Gudivada-Moturu sections.

This new line holds huge potential to ignite the economy of the Central Coastal belt of AP. In addition to significantly strengthening rail transport infrastructure for seamless movement of freight and passenger traffic on rails, the new double rail line is bound to serve public aspirations in several ways.

Business activity in the entire hinterland of the region, ranging from agriculture to aqua culture will get a big boost with access to various markets becoming more easy and convenient. Rail travel from the region is bound to overcome the earlier lack of proper connectivity, thereby offering scope for people to conveniently travel towards Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore, Tirupati etc.