Tenders called for new railway line

Khammam: The Central government recently issued a gazette notification for the construction of a 173.6 km broad gauge railway line from Malkangiri in Odisha to Pandurangapuram via Bhadrachalam. In order to officially take forward the construction programme of this railway line, which was approved by the Union Cabinet on August 10, the railway ministry recently issued a notification declaring it as a special railway project.

Tenders are invited for land acquisition for the construction of the railway line in three states from Thursday to December 4.

After the tender process is completed, government and private lands will be acquired as per the Railway Land Acquisition Act, 2008.

Land acquisition is to be undertaken for the construction of 19.7 km railway track in Telangana, 85.5 km in Andhra Pradesh, and 68.3 km in Odisha State. The Union Cabinet Com

mittee on Economic Affairs has given is approval for the line from Pandurangapuram in Burgampadu mandal in Telangana to Malkangiri (Junagarh) in Odisha as part of the Prime Minister Gati Shakti scheme. With this, work will be undertaken for a distance of 173.61 km at a cost of Rs. 3,592 crores.

It is expected that the new railway line would draw significant numbers of pilgrims to the temple town. It will be a great relief for those hailing from other states. It will also provide a major fillip to education, trade, tourism, healthcare and other sectors. It will also reduce distance for industries in Odisha, Telangana in accessing Kakinada port.

The Final Location Survey (FLS) for the new Pandurangapuram-Malkangiri railway line was completed in September 2023.