Centre Clears Long-Pending Puttur–Attipattu Rail Project
New railway line to ease Chennai–Tirupati congestion
Tirupati: A long-pending railway project between Puttur in Tirupati district and Attipattu in Tamil Nadu has gained momentum, with the Centre sanctioning Rs 511.47 crore as the first phase of funding. The approval paves the way for a new railway line under Southern Railway in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
The proposed 88-km railway line aims to improve connectivity and ease congestion on existing Chennai–Tirupati routes. It will pass through Narayanavanam, Pichatur, Nagalapuram, Uthukottai, Satyavedu, Gummidipoondi, Ponneri and Minjur, covering key locations along the corridor.
The project was first proposed in 2008–09 by the then combined governments of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,105 crore. A detailed project report was submitted to the Centre to facilitate smoother and uninterrupted train services between Chennai and Tirupati. Initially, Ennore Port and the Railways were to share the cost equally. However, Ennore Port withdrew from the project in 2012 due to technical reasons, leaving the proposal pending for over a decade.
Despite repeated expectations during successive railway budgets, no funds were allocated earlier, leading to disappointment among local residents. In the latest railway budget, the Centre sanctioned 10 new railway lines and approved gauge conversion works on six routes under Southern Railway. In this context, Rs 511.47 crore has now been allocated for the Puttur–Attipattu line.
Sources said land acquisition has already begun based on earlier surveys. Railway officials have identified a requirement of 181 hectares across four mandals in Andhra Pradesh and 189 hectares in Tamil Nadu up to Attipattu. Survey stones have been placed, and a formal notification will be issued soon for compensation to farmers and acquisition of land for construction.
New railway stations are planned at Narayanavanam, Pichatur and Nagalapuram in Tirupati district, and at Uthukottai, Palavakkam, Periyapalayam and Gangayadikuppam along the route.
Meanwhile, the Centre has also approved another railway project connecting Nagari to Vellore and extending up to Dindivanam. An amount of Rs 578 crore has been sanctioned for this project, which will cover a distance of about 179.2 km, with a major portion of the route in Tamil Nadu.
