In a significant stride toward improving rail connectivity, South Central Railway has successfully commissioned the Third Line between Karavadi and Surareddipalem Stations, coupled with electrification. This development is part of the Vijayawada – Gudur Tripling & Electrification Project.
More Details:
The doubling and tripling projects are progressing well across South Central Railway giving a major push towards infrastructural development of the Zone. Accordingly, one more section between Karavadi – Surareddipalem for a distance of 20.3 Kms has been successfully completed and commissioned.
This section is part of Vijayawada – Gudur Tripling & electrification project, one of the ongoing major projects in the state of Andhra Pradesh and this stretch of railway line falls under Prakasham District. With the tripling of this stretch now, a continuous stretch of 81 Kms between Bapatla – Surareddipalem will have third line facility along with electrification.
Significance of the Project:
- Situated in the Grand Trunk route along the Coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, the section between Vijayawada – Gudur on SCR plays a vital role in connecting the Northern and Eastern parts of the country with the Southern states.
- This route has become highly congested with the steady increase in both Passenger and Freight trains.
- To decongest this crucial section, the Vijayawada – Gudur Third line project was sanctioned in the year 2015-16 for a distance of 288 Kms at an approximate cost of Rs 3246 crores. The work is being executed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.
Completed Work Till Date:
- Progressing concurrently across various stretches, significant milestones have been achieved. Sections between Gudur – Singarayakonda (127 kilometres) and Bapatla – Karavadi (62 kilometres) have been successfully completed and commissioned.
- With the recent completion of the 20-kilometre section between Karavadi – Ongole – Surareddipalem, located midway along the Vijayawada – Gudur route, a total of 209 kilometres of the entire section now stands electrified with the third line in place.
Expert Insight:
Shri Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager of SCR has complimented the entire team of both Vijayawada Division and RVNL officials, who have completed the tripling and electrification works between Karavadi – Surareddipalem section. He stated that third line works between Vijayawada – Gudur are being taken up on top priority and the works are in fast progress in all the stretches simultaneously. He also stated that the completion of this project helps in decongesting the existing saturated Grand Trunk route and eases the train operations.
Conclusion:
The commissioning of the Third Line between Karavadi and Surareddipalem, alongside electrification, stands as a testament to South Central Railway’s commitment to enhancing rail infrastructure. With continued progress on vital projects like the Vijayawada – Gudur Tripling & Electrification Project, the railway network is poised to meet growing demands and provide smoother, more efficient transportation services for passengers and freight alike.
Source: South Central Railway- Press Release | Images Credit: South Central Railway
