Double line from Guntur to Tenali set to become a reality on April 25

Guntur: Guntur Railway station is chugging towards becoming a major junction as the decades-long dream of getting double line between Guntur-Tenali is inching closer to reality.
The Commissioner Railway Safety (CRS) has accorded green signal to operate trains on the new line after completing the trial run. Engineers at Guntur railway division were on their toes to complete works as senior officials have decided to throw the new line open from April 25.
The completion of doubling works between Guntur and Tenali is expected to bring all major trains connecting the Metros, including the national capital city New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata to Guntur in the coming days as electrification on all the four-routes from Guntur are also nearing completion.
Although Guntur has become a divisional headquarters almost 25 years ago, it has very limited connectivity with Metro cities due to logistical reasons. Superfast trains passing through many stations in the district, too, could not be diverted via divisional headquarters city in the absence of double line track between Guntur-Tenali. Interestingly, Tenali, the revenue divisional centre, has emerged as the main station in the district as it is located on the Grand Trunk route of Chennai-Howrarh and got stops for many superfast and mail express trains.
Strong lobbying by veteran MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, then Union ministers Panabaka Lakshmi and Purandeswari prompted the UPA-2 government to approve the proposal to take up doubling between Guntur and Tenali. The UPA government had spared nearly Rs 147 crore for laying a new track for about 25 km. However, resistance from the locals in land acquisition delayed the prestigious project.
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), the nodal agency to complete the doubling works, has recently finished the bridge on the Kommamur canal and construction of a subway in Guntur city and other patchworks before moving on to the signaling project. “The CRS has already granted his nod. We are planning to launch the first train on the new section from April 25,” said the divisional railway manager (DRM), V G Bhooma.
Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Janmabhoomi Express is expected to be the first train to move on the new track. Similarly, Andaman Express is expected to be the next train to go from the south to the north.