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Amaravati: A long-stalled railway project in Andhra Pradesh has received a fresh push. The state government has issued orders sanctioning Rs 100 crore for land acquisition on the Kotipalli–Narsapuram new railway line, using funds under the SASCI scheme.

The move follows a request from the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema District Collector, who sought funds for acquiring land for the project. The money will go to the Amalapuram RDO, who will handle the acquisition.
The line was first approved in 2001-02, with a 57-km route estimated at ₹2,120 crore. The cost estimate has since risen to Rs 3,900 crore. Under the sharing arrangement, the state must bear 25 percent of land acquisition and construction costs. The Railways has spent Rs 1,454 crore so far, while the state's share comes to Rs 484 crore. Having already paid Rs 52.69 crore, the state needs to release only Rs 432 crore more.
The previous government had agreed only to cover land acquisition and declined to pay 25 percent of the construction cost, a proposal the Railways did not accept. The present government has now informed the Railways that it will bear 25 percent of the total cost, including land acquisition, which cleared the way for the Rs 100 crore release.
The project has dragged on for nearly two decades. More than 80 percent of the land has been acquired, and work on bridges across the Godavari near Edurlanka and Chinchinada had begun. However, a shortage of funds brought work to a halt midway.
With the new allocation, officials expect construction to gather speed. Once completed, the line is expected to improve rail connectivity for the Konaseema and neighbouring regions, a long-pending demand of residents.
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