Finish AP's Rail Projects: Cong MPs

Congress MPs have demanded that the Centre hasten the completion of Andhra Pradesh's railway projects.

Participating in a review meeting held by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at Jubilee Hall in Hyderabad, in Thursday, the Congress MPs asked the Centre to increase the allocations for the state besides giving priority to the completion of pending projects.

The MPs also submitted proposals related to their constituencies.

Besides the Chief Minister, the meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Dharmana Prasad Rao, 13 Lok Sabha MPs, 3 Rajya Sabha MPs, Union Minister of State for HRD D Purandreswari, and ministers Botsa Satyanarayana and Sudershan Reddy.

Later, talking to reporters, Rajya Sabha MP T Subbirami Reddy said that he suggested the setting up of a Railway Projects Develpment Fund of Rs. 2,500 crore.

He said the fund could be utilised to ensure the speedy completion of railway projects in the state with Central assistance.

He said that he also emphasised the completion of Road Over Bridges across the state. In addition, he demanded the doubling of the Vijayawada-Gudiwada and Bheemavaram-Narsapur railway lines.

Rajay Sabha K Bapiraju said that the state's MPs would submit a memorandum to the Minister of State for Railways Dinesh Trivedi when he visits AP on 15 February, seeking more funds for the projects.

Nalgonda MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy demanded that railway projects in Telangana be given priority. He also complained of a lack of seriousness in the completion of projects in the Telangana region.

Citing an instance, he complained that the railway line between Nalgonda and Macherla was approved in 1997-98, and that an amount of Rs. 83 crore was also sanctioned, but that the project is yet to be completed.

Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal demanded that the Vijaywada railway station be developed as a world-class station on the lines of the Secunderabad station. He also asked the CM to ensure that the Hyderabad-Vijayawada bullet train project is put on a fast track.

The Railway officials reportedly told the MPs it would take nearly 22 years to complete all the projects in the state.

However, Lagadapati suggested that the Ministry of Railways engage private parties or seek loans from private banks to finish the projects early. He said he would raise the issue during the next Budget session of the Parliament. (INN)