Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed railway authorities to accelerate ongoing projects worth Rs 33,630 crore, aimed at boosting connectivity to Andhra Pradesh’s upcoming and operational ports, including Moolapet, Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, and Ramayapatnam.

Chairing a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, Naidu said the new railway lines were critical to transforming Andhra Pradesh into a national logistics hub. He stressed that improved rail-port links would enable seamless movement of goods, enhance export competitiveness, and attract large-scale industrial investment to the state.

“We are working to develop an integrated logistics ecosystem with strong coordination between the State and the Centre,” Naidu said, adding that an integrated logistics park would soon be established to anchor multimodal connectivity.

Officials briefed the Chief Minister on the progress of the Nadikudi–Srikalahasti, Guntur–Guntakal, Gunadala–Mustabad bypass, Renigunta, and Rayadurg–Tumakuru railway projects. Naidu ordered the immediate release of Rs 27 crore for the Nadikudi–Srikalahasti line and instructed that the Kotipalli–Narsapur and Kakinada–Kotipalli–Amalapuram routes be made operational.

The Chief Minister also reviewed proposals for high-speed elevated rail corridors along the Hyderabad–Bengaluru and Hyderabad–Chennai routes via Amaravati. He suggested a bullet train link connecting the proposed Amaravati international airport and emphasized the need to align the Kharagpur–Chennai freight corridor with Andhra Pradesh’s logistics strategy.

Naidu approved land allocation for new railway coaching terminals at Amaravati and Gannavaram and directed railway officials to fast-track doubling works on the Guntur–Guntakal line and complete the third line between Kazipet and Vijayawada. Calling for a focus on passenger comfort, the Chief Minister asked for redevelopment of Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati as iconic railway stations. He directed that the new Amaravati terminal be built with innovative architecture and that a skywalk be constructed from Tirupati station for smoother commuter movement.

Railway officials informed Naidu that 73 stations are being modernised under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, with 373 new over- and under-bridges proposed across the State. They also said the Rs 271-crore redevelopment of Rajahmundry station will be completed before the Godavari Pushkaralu, for which 1,012 special trains will be operated.