Somanna Highlights AP Railway Expansion As Rs. 108-Cr Guntur ROB Gets Underway
Union minister V. Somanna laid the foundation stone for a Rs. 108-crore four-lane ROB between Guntur and Nambur railway stations.
Passenger safety and operational efficiency remain the top priorities of the Indian Railways, Union minister of state for Railways and Jal Shakti V. Somanna said on Saturday, highlighting the expansion of railway infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh since 2014.
He was speaking after laying the foundation stone, along with Union minister of state for rural development and communications Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, for a four-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) between Guntur and Nambur railway stations. The Rs. 108-crore project, fully funded by the Railways, will replace Level Crossing (LC) Gate No. 3 on the Guntur-Krishna Canal section.
Somanna said 1,780 km of railway lines had been constructed in the state during the period, including 453 km of new lines and 1,335 km of multi-tracking works. Andhra Pradesh had also achieved 100 per cent route electrification, he said.
The 668-metre ROB, near Guntur’s Inner Ring Road, will connect Bus Stand Road with Gorantla village. Construction is scheduled to commence shortly and will require 2.9 acres of land.
Somanna said 838 ROBs and Road Under Bridges had already been constructed in Andhra Pradesh, while more than 350 were in the pipeline. The indigenous anti-collision system Kavach had been commissioned over 130 km, covering 15 stations on key corridors. He said 38 new track projects, involving an investment of Rs. 63,000 crore, had been sanctioned or were under way.
Andhra Pradesh was also the only state with 100 per cent Wi-Fi coverage across 341 stations, he said.
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, eight stations have undergone major modernisation, while redevelopment works are progressing at Tirupati, Nellore, Visakhapatnam and Rajahmundry with an outlay of over Rs. 1,100 crore. Another 74 stations are being upgraded with modern amenities at a cost of around Rs. 3,500 crore.
Somanna said the new ROB would save commuting time, reduce fuel wastage and vehicle detentions, improve train punctuality and strengthen urban safety.
Dr Pemmasani said coordination between the Centre and state government was fast-tracking road and rail projects and addressing long-standing traffic bottlenecks in the Guntur region.
South Coast Railway general manager Sandeep Mathur welcomed the gathering, while Guntur divisional railway manager Sudheshna Sen coordinated the programme.