Works on the long-awaited third line connecting Duvvada near Visakhapatnam with Gudur in Nellore district will commence in six months, with the Ministry of Railways allocating necessary funds for the first phase of the project. Once the 620-km line is completed, rail traffic on the ever-busy line between Howrah and Chennai will improve considerably, according to officials.
As many as 120 trains, including 60 express trains, use this route everyday, connecting Duvvada, Visakhapatnam, Rajahumundry, Vijayawada and Gudur. The railways mooted the third line to handle the increasing rush.
Planning and survey on alignment, construction of yards and bridges and other technical aspects have already been completed, officials said. The project cost is more than Rs. 3,000 crore.
They added that the movement of express trains will also become faster between Howrah and Chennai once the third line becomes operational. “We can divert goods trains and other non-express trains connecting Vijayawada and Chennai through the new line to enable faster movement of superfast and express trains, thereby sticking to schedules,” a senior railway official said.
Even after suspending some trains, especially goods trains, along the route to give way for express trains, most long-distance trains fail to adhere to schedules. Officials believe that the problem can be resolved once the third line is commissioned. Another advantage is that the new line will enable speedy movement of goods to the two major ports of Howrah and Chennai.
Meanwhile, Vijayawada DRM Ashok Kumar said tenders would be called soon. “If everything goes well, we will commence works in six months,” he added.
