VIJAYAWADA: The State Government has not agreed for cost sharing to lay a railway line between Guntur and Vijayawada via new Capital City Amaravati. In a written reply to TD Rajya Sabha member Kankamaedala Ravindra Babu on Friday, Railway minister Piyush Goyal said: “The distance between new Capital city Amaravati and Vijayawada station is 42 km. From Vijayawada, 297 passenger trains are already operating, connecting this place with the rest of the country. However, project for a new line between Vijayawada and Guntur via Amaravati has been included in Budget 2017-18 subject to requisite approvals. Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been made for Errupalem-Namburu via Amaravati single line (56.53 km) with an assessed cost of Rs 1,732.56 crore.
Ministry of Railways has accorded ‘In Principle Approval’ for the project. The project was sent to Niti Aayog for appraisal in September 2018.
Mr Goyal further said that Niti Aayog has suggested to approach the State Government for cost sharing of new line. The State Government of AP has not agreed for cost sharing.
NITI Aayog has also suggested for consultation with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, before processing approvals. Accordingly, inter-Ministerial consultation, as suggested by NITI Aayog, is underway, he added.
