Tirupati rail projects get raw deal in Budget

Tirupati: The Pink Book compendium of the budgetary allocations to various sanctioned projects by the Indian Railways has provided only meagre resources to some of the important projects over the South Central Railway in general and Tirupati region in particular.

The major disappointment to the people was that it has not proposed any new trains connecting the pilgrim city though there was a demand for several trains.

Nadikudi – Srikalahasti new railway line was sanctioned in 2011-12 under which 309 km works with an anticipated cost of Rs 229 crore were proposed to be taken up. It starts at Piduguralla on existing Secunderabad – Guntur line and connects at Venkatagiri station on Gudur – Renigunta line and will pass through various hinterland areas in the erstwhile Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts. The state government had not released its share during the last two years and the Railways allocated only Rs 202 crore now.

Another important new line was proposed between Kadapa and Bengaluru with 255 km which was sanctioned in 2008-09. However, the construction of the first 21 km was completed after five years. While the project total cost was Rs 2,849 crore as per the original estimates. This year, it got a nominal amount of Rs10 lakh only.

An amount of Rs 800 crore was allotted for Vijayawada – Gudur 3rd line project which was sanctioned in 2015-16 for a distance of 288 km with an estimated cost of Rs 3,549 crore.

While the section between Ulavapadu – Talamanchi for a distance of 64 km and section between Chinaganjam – Karavadi for a distance of 23 km have been completed, the balance works are in progress. With the allocated funds these works may gather momentum.

Another Rs 40 crore allotted for Dharmavaram – Pakala – Katapadi doubling project which was sanctioned in 2019-20 with a sanctioned cost of Rs 2900 crore for a distance of 290 km. For construction of by-pass lines to facilitate good trains to pass through them without entering the busy stations, Rs 383.12 crore was allotted out of which one line with a distance of 9.6 km to be built at Renigunta.

To decongest the Tirupati station, development of Tiruchanur station was proposed in 2016-17 budget with an estimated cost of Rs.33 crore whereas the Railways has already spent more than that by now. Yet, the works were incomplete. It got an allocation of Rs.8.5 crore in this budget which may not be enough. There was even no clarity on getting new trains touching the Tirupati station.

Tirupati MP Dr M Gurmoorthy told Hans India that the ministry allocates funds to only the ongoing projects while several new initiatives are being taken up under PPP mode. "I have asked the Railway Minister for a Vande Bharat train between Tirupati and Visakhapatnam but it was learnt that there is a shortage of rakes and the proposal will be considered later," he said.