Nellore: Land acquisition is going on at a brisk pace for the proposed railway line between Nadikudi and Srikalahasti in SPSR Nellore district.
The new railway line will connect Srikalaha-sti, Venkatagiri, Rapur, Obulayapalli, Podili, Darsi, Gundlakamma, Vinukonda, Rompiche-rla, Nakerakal and Nadikudi areas.
The state government recently gave its nod for land to be provided free of cost and would bear 50 per cent of the cost of the proposed broad gauge railway line. About 2,240 acres are being acquired in Nellore district. This is inclusive of 932 acres Patta land, 560 acres assigned land, 126 acres of Cooperative Joint Farming Society(CJFS) land and 622 acres government land.
District collector R. Muthyala Raju said that the declaration part of the lands is completed and market value has been fixed except in some villages of Venkatagiri and Dakkili mandals.
Mr Muthyala said that the railway line would decongest the busy Chennai-Howrah line passing through the coastal region, which is vulnerable during cyclones. He said, “The new line is also expected to spur development in the backward regions in Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore and Kurnool districts of AP”.
Railway officials said the new line will boost exports of cement and granite industries since it is the nearest route for Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka through upland areas of the four districts.
The project will connect the Secunderabad-Guntur branch line at Nadikudi of Guntur district and Gudur-Katpadi branch line at Srikalahasti of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.
At Rapur station both Nadikudi–Srikalahasti and Krishnapatnam–Obulavaripalle railway line will cross each other.
