Budget proves good for Andhra Pradesh

The state got a good deal out of the Railway Budget announced on Wednesday. In all, 15 new express trains will originate from Andhra Pradesh and 10 more will pass through the state. This accounts for one-third of the total Mail and Express trains that will be introduced across the country in the next financial year.

Expansion of the MMTS Phase 2 project covering 103 km has also been sanctioned on a cost-sharing basis. Rs99 crore has been sanctioned for the current year. This is a chunk of one-third of the estimated cost (total Rs632 crore) for strengthening the suburban system of MMTS Phase II, which includes doubling and electrification.

The Budget also set aside Rs125 crore towards passenger amenities. Two new line projects between Bhadrachalam-Kovuur and Akkanpet-Medak have also been sanctioned along with the crucial Kazipet-Vijaywada third line doubling project for decongesting the important route. Besides this, doubling work on Raghavapuram-Peddampet, Isivi-Kupgal, Kosigi-Mentralayam will be completed during this fiscal.

Three originating trains, Madurai-Tirupati Express, Bodhan-Nizamabad Passenger, Arakonam-Nandalur Passenger will be extended to Rameshwaram, Kamareddi and Kadapa respectively.
The frequency of four originating trains will also be increased. These are the Secunderabad-Tirupati Express (from two to four days), Hyderabad-Kolhapur Express (from two to seven days), Madurai-Tirupati Express (from two to three days) and Sir Ganganagar-Huzur Saheb Nanded Express (from one to three days). Also, the frequency of two pass-through trains, Villupuram-Kharagpur Express and Hazrat Nizamuddin-Kanyakumari Express will be increased from one day to two days.

Jalna, Macherla, Piduguralla, Pokarni Narsimha, Sattenapalli and Vinukonda stations will be developed as Adarsh stations.

No sign of trains promised in last year’s railway budget

Although 15 new trains have been announced in the Railway Budget, there has been no mention of the fate of those allocated last year including the super fast tri-weekly Duronto Express.

The train that was to be run between Secunderabad and Vishakapatnam has lost its way in this Budget. Also of the total 84 model stations sanctioned across the country, only five are for the state. Apart from this the projects that were proposed for doubling railway lines like Bibinagar-Nallapadu, Dornakal-Manuguru and Renigunta-Arokonam are being denied funds and being merely referred to the Planning Commission.

However, addressing a press conference here, the South Central Railway general manager, Mr G.N. Asthana, said that the Railway Budget is exceptionally good with the zone getting 25 of the 75 new trains sanctioned for the entire country.

Also, of the 11 new lines sanctioned across the 16 railway zones, two of them fall in the SCR zone. The 151-km Bhadrach-alam-Kovvur line costing approximately Rs900 crore is expected to reduce the distance between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam by about 100 km, apart from providing alternate route between the two major cities and de-congesting the Vijayawada route, while the second one will be the Rs115-crore Akkanpet-Medak line.

Talking about developing world class facilities at the Secunderabad and Tirupati stations, the official said that with the announcement of a separate authority to be formed for the purpose, the work is expected to move forward at greater speed now.

Also the capital account allocation of Rs2,350 crore, up by Rs290 crores over last year would be invested for acquisition, restoration and replacement of railway assets including laying new lines, doubling, traffic facilities in terms of road-over and road-under bridges, level crossings, bridges and the like, he said.