Hyderabad, July 26 (FN Agency) South Central Railway (SCR) has successfully commissioned the Double Line between Guntakal and Maddikera, covering a distance of 10.7 Kms, as a part of the Guntur-Guntakal Doubling & Electrification Project. Guntakal station serves as a crucial junction, handling significant train traffic from all directions. The Guntur-Guntakal Section is a vital rail link connecting the important city of Andhra Pradesh State with the Rayalaseema region and further south. This railway line traverses through Guntur, Prakasham, Palnadu, Nandyal, and Kurnool Districts, connecting the hinterland areas, a SCR release said on Wednesday.
To ensure smooth transportation and alleviate congestion on this section, the Guntur – Guntakal Doubling & Electrification project was sanctioned in 2016-17 for a distance of 401 Kms, with an estimated cost of Rs 3887 crores. So far, doubling & electrification work between Nallapadu – Satulur (32 kms), Maddikera – Dhone (57 Kms), Betamcherla – Malkapuram (23 Kms), Munumaka – Savalyapuram (22 Kms), and Jaggambotla Krishnapuram- Cheekategalapalem (87 Kms) has been completed and commissioned, amounting to a total of 221 Kms of this project. With the latest completion of another 10.7 Kms between Guntakal- Maddikera, the total completed stretch of doubling works with electrification stands at around 232 Kms on different sections of the Guntur – Guntakal line. This completion of the doubling between Guntakal – Maddikera has also electrified the continuous stretch from Dhone to Guntakal.
The remaining sections of the project are progressing swiftly. The completion of doubling and electrification in these sections will not only reduce congestion but also increase the average speed of trains. This will facilitate the introduction of new trains on the route and improve the efficiency of trains bound for Eastern parts of the country, such as Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, and beyond, from the Rayalaseema region of Southern Andhra Pradesh. SCR General Manager Arun Kumar Jain praised the officials and staff of the Construction Organisation and Guntakal Division who contributed to the successful completion of the project. He emphasised the special importance given to doubling and electrification projects underway across the Zone, stating that the completion of the Guntakal – Guntur project would enhance the overall train handling capacity of the section and optimise train operations.