Call to use less forest area for Bhadrachalam-Sattupalli railway line

Call to use less forest area for Bhadrachalam-Sattupalli railway line
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Roads and Buildings Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao informed that he would explain the necessary changes in the proposals of Bhadrachalam Road-Sattupalli railway line to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s video conference. At a review meeting in Kothagudem on Wednesday, the Minister laid stress on significant reduction in acquiring forest lands and cut costs by opting for land in pla

Kothagudem: Roads and Buildings Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao informed that he would explain the necessary changes in the proposals of Bhadrachalam Road-Sattupalli railway line to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s video conference. At a review meeting in Kothagudem on Wednesday, the Minister laid stress on significant reduction in acquiring forest lands and cut costs by opting for land in plains which makes it easy to go in for alignment.

If the proposals revising all alignments made by the Minister are accepted, the distance would come down by 44.93 km from Bhadrachalam Road to Penuballi, and also by 30 km between Sattupalli and Jeelugumilli. In the proposal I, as revised by the Minister, the Bhadrachalam Road-Kovvur distance would be cut down by 53 km there by cutting the construction costs.

Tummala recalled that in the proposals accepted by the Centre, it was noted that the line passed through forest lands and that it was difficult in the present circumstances to acquire land. He explained that first proposal of the Bhadrachalam Road-Kovvur railway line, as accepted by the Centre in 2012-13, covered a distance of 151 km and to be laid at a cost Rs 923 crore. The cost was to be shared by both the Centre and the State.

Following the division of Andhra Pradesh, the two Telugu States had agreed in principle to share the cost. The distance covered in Telangana would be 78.50 km (cost Rs 239.82 crore) and 72.40 km in Andhra Pradesh (cost Rs 221.18 crore). As per the current estimates, the cost of the entire railway line would be about Rs 2,700 crore.

In the second proposal, the entire cost was to be met by Singareni Collieries (except land acquisition cost) with civil works accounting for Rs 586.44 crore, electrical engineering Rs 34.47 crore, signaling & traction Rs 29.90 crore and electrical (TRD)Rs 53.41 crore. The land acquisition cost was to be borne by the railways.

According to current estimates, the cost would now be around Rs 958 crore. In the third proposal, both the Centre and the Railways had approved PPP (Public Private Partnership) concept costing Rs 723 crore, covering a distance of 125 km. The revised cost would now be Rs 2,250 crore.

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