VIJAYAWADA: An alternative rail line from Asansol to Warangal via Dornakal will be constructed to ease traffic congestion on the main line between Howrah and Chennai via Visakhapatnam, said Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager Narendra A Patil.
Speaking to the media after a video conference with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday, the DRM said out of the eight projects worth Rs 24,657 crore approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, two major projects valued at `7,383 crore would benefit Andhra Pradesh.
The proposed railway line from Malkangiri to Pandurangapuram via Bhadrachalam will cover nearly 80 km in Andhra Pradesh. The Railway Ministry has given high priority to Pandurangapuram-Bhadrachalam-Malkangiri new rail line project.
New rail line to open wider market for agri products of State
The rail line will traverse through the tribal belt and serve as an alternative rail route between Asansol and Warangal. The project is expected to bring significant benefits to both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, providing a critical rail corridor to North and East, which will expedite coal delivery to thermal power plants in South India and enhance connectivity for aluminum and iron ore industries.
During his briefing, Patil said the rail project will connect Junagarh, Nabarangpur, Jeypore, Malkangiri, Bhadrachalam and Pandurangapuram. The new rail line measuring 290 route kilometres, will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 7,383 crore.
Additionally, the new rail line will open up a wider market for agricultural products from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It will serve as an alternative route to the existing Vijayawada - Visakhapatnam - Bhubaneswar - Kolkata corridor, linking Warangal, Bhadrachalam, Malkangiri, Jeypore and Titlagarh. The line will provide essential connectivity to tribal and aspirational districts such as Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Rayagada, and Malkangiri, which have historically been affected by Left Wing Extremism.
Patil also stated that the new rail corridor will contribute to the socio-economic development of districts in Odisha, East Godavari (Andhra Pradesh), and Bhadradri Kothagudem (Telangana). It will offer a shorter and more efficient connection to power plants in Central and South India from Mahanadi Coalfields.
Furthermore, the line will function as a disaster management back-up route, ensuring continued connectivity to various districts in Odisha during cyclones if the Howrah-Vijayawada coastal route is disrupted.
The new rail line is expected to reduce the distance from southern Odisha and the Bastar region to South India by 124 km. Additionally, it will bypass busy corridors like Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam. The project is anticipated to generate 1 crore man-days of employment, and reduce carbon emissions by around 267 crore kg, equivalent to planting approximately 3.80 crore trees, the DRM explained.
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