Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced significant developments for the Telugu states, revealing plans to construct a new railway line between Malkangiri and Pandurangapuram as part of the Asansol-Warangal railway line project. The Asansol-Warangal corridor will span 1,316 kilometers.
In a press conference held at his office, the minister disclosed that the central cabinet approved two key routes on Friday: one from Junagadh to Nabarangpur and another from Malkangiri to Pandurangapuram. He highlighted that these projects will be built as double-line tracks, with an estimated cost of ₹7,382 crore. The project will include several tunnels.
The main objective of these projects is to connect railway lines with coal mines located in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Specifically, 19.77 kilometers of track will be constructed in Telangana and 85.5 kilometers in Andhra Pradesh. Minister Vaishnaw noted that the projects will greatly benefit East Godavari and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts.
Additionally, a bridge will be constructed in Andhra Pradesh as part of the project. The minister mentioned that these new railway lines will serve as alternative routes in the event of disruptions along the eastern coast due to natural disasters. He emphasized that the projects will also aid in the development of tribal areas and assured that construction will commence soon, with completion targeted within five years.
Minister Vaishnaw also provided an update on the establishment of the Visakhapatnam Railway Zone, stating that progress is being made. He mentioned discussions with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and that land allocations will be finalized soon.