Budget Allocation For Railways To AP Raised To Rs 9,417 Cr

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh has been allotted Rs9,417 crore for various projects in the annual budget submitted by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Parliament.

Divisional Railway Manager Manoj Kumar Sahoo said that they are very happy with the allocation. In his speech, Vaishnaw said the annual average budget outlay for combined Andhra Pradesh State during the years 2009-14 was only Rs886 crore. Budget allocations to Andhra Pradesh have been witnessing sustained increase with current year’s allocation being almost 11 times the average allocation done during the period of 2009-14 for the combined State, he pointed out.

Railway network in Andhra Pradesh is now 100 per cent electrified. The Minister said that 142 km (average per year) of new railway tracks have been laid across AP during 2014-2025 as compared to just 73 km during 2009-14. To facilitate safety, 770 RoBs & RuBs have been constructed, he stated. He elaborated that 1,560 km new railway tracks have been laid since 2014, which is more than entire work in Sri Lanka. A total of 1,949 km of track has been electrified since 2014.

As many as 43 projects are in progress and 5,560 km new tracks will be laid with an investment of Rs80,097 crore. Vande Bharat trains have been introduced covering 15 districts having 21 unique stoppages in AP. One Amrit Bharat express between Malda town- Bengaluru covering nine districts and 14 stoppages in AP has been introduced.

Sahoo said station redevelopment is under progress at Visakhapatnam, Nellore, Tirupati, Rajahmundry and is in progress with a cost of Rs1132.43 crore. Seventy three railway stations in AP are being redeveloped as part of the Amrit Bharat station scheme with an investment of Rs2,051 crore, he added.

The DRM said there has been a record allocation of funds to AP at a staggering amount of Rs9,417 crore. At 10 stations in AP developmental activities are in progress at Vizianagaram, Srikakulam Road, Simhachalam, Parvatipuram, Naupada Jn, Araku, Bobbili, Chipurupalli, Duvvada, Kothavalasa stations and major station redevelopment works are under progress at Visakhapatnam with an investment of more than Rs800 crore. He disclosed that the division is 100 per cent electrified.