HAPPY JOURNEY: Minister of State for Railways R. Velu and Union Minister of State for Health Panabaka Lakshmi flagging off the Simhapuri Express in Gudur on Thursday. Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

Nellore: Union Minister of State for Railways R. Velu has said that work relating to the railway line at the proposed Krishnapatnam port area of Nellore district has been cleared at Railway Board level, paving the way for rapid industrialisation of the area.

Addressing a large gathering at Gudur railway station, on Thursday, after flagging off the `Simhapuri Express' from Gudur to Secunderabad, along with Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi, Mr. Velu pointed that the railway facility would help in rapid transportation of iron ore, besides reducing the normal distance by more than 100 km.

Growth rate

Mr. Velu said that it was proposed to achieve a freight target of 700 million tonnes during this financial year, thereby achieving a growth rate of 17 per cent.

It has also been decided to introduce express trains that travel at 100 km. per hour in areas connected by the golden quadrilateral road facility.

The Minister informed that a train from New Delhi to Agra at a speed of 150 km. per hour soon would be introduced. Mr. Velu described the introduction of `Simhapuri Express' as a `fulfilment of a long felt need' and reminded that the Government has announced introduction of 46 new trains last year, including two from Andhra Pradesh. A new train from Guntakal to Secunderabad would be introduced after the position of coaches improved, he said.

Request

Ms. Lakshmi, recalled as to how she sought the present train when Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad visited Gudur in September last year. She urged Mr. Velu to develop Gudur station. In response to her request, Mr. Velu, announced Simhapuri's halts at Kavali, Bitragunta and Singarayakonda. He assured a foot over bridge at Gudur, provided the local civic body allotted necessary funds.

MLAs--Anam Vivekananda Reddy, Magunta Parvatamma, P. Prakasa Rao--- Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada, J.M. Jagannath, Gudur Municipal Chairperson Y. Manjula and others spoke. District Collector M. Ravichandra, DCC president Y. Gopala Reddy, Nellore Mayor P. Sailaja and senior officials were also present.

Earlier, Additional General Manager South Central Railway Rajkamal Rao, welcomed the gathering.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail