The railway line in a stretch of 22.55 km between Edduladoddi and Maddikera in Guntakal Division of the South Central Railway has been commissioned after the completion of the doubling and electrification works.
The works were completed some time ago and a test run was being conducted for some time. Finally, it was certified and commissioned on Tuesday, a release from the South Central Railway said on Thursday.
The doubled section has been commissioned with a maximum permissible speed of 90 km per hour, said SCR General Manager Sanjeev Kishore.
It is a part of the Guntur-Guntakal doubling and electrification project. The Guntur-Guntakal section is a vital link connecting the coastal belt of Andhra Pradesh with the Rayalaseema region. In an attempt to ensure seamless transportation and ease the congestion on this section, the project was sanctioned in 2016-17 financial year for a distance of 401 km at a cost of ₹3,631 crore.
Now, with completion of another 22.55 km between Edduladoddi and Maddikera stations, the doubling and electrification works have been completed in a stretch of 116.5 km.
This project will enhance the connectivity and help improve the socio-economic condition of the region, particularly for the people of Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnool and Anantapur districts, said Mr. Kishore.
As part of this project, the doubling and electrification between Nallapadu–Satulur (32 km) and Dhone–Pendekallu-Edduladoddi (36.6 Km) and Kurichedu-Gajjelakonda (25.35 kms), totaling 94 km have already been commissioned, he said.
Now, there is potential for running more trains between Guntur-Guntakal, particularly from the Hyderabad and Nadikude side. It enhances the overall train handling capacity in the Guntur-Vijayawada region, with the possibility of diverting more trains via Guntur to balance the rail traffic and reduce congestion on the Grand Trunk route. This also improves freight transportation by harnessing the potential of mineral-rich Palnadu region to transport its produce and goods.
