VIJAYAWADA: After initial hiccups, works to transform Rayanapadu into a satellite railway station, are going on at a brisk pace. The South Central Railway (SCR) officials had set a deadline for the works by February, 2019, to ease rail traffic congestion at Vijayawada Railway Station.
According to the Vijayawada division of SCR officials, over the years, trains travelling between Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam used to halt at Rayanapadu and Kondapalli stations for several minutes as there were no vacancy of platforms at Vijayawada station.
The delay used to cause much inconvenience to the passengers as the stations don’t have basic facilities such as drinking water and food supply. To prevent this from happening, the SCR authorities wrote to the Railway Board seeking its permission to take up the expansion works in the 150 acres of land owned by the railways near the Rayanapadu station.
As part of the development works, two foot overbridges were constructed on the station premises at an estimated cost of `88 lakh and sitting benches and toilet facilities were developed at the cost of `1 lakh.
“Civil works are going on at a brisk pace on the Rayanapadu station premises. Works are expected to be completed by the end of January. Passengers can avail services at the satellite station from the first week of February,” a senior SCR official, on condition of anonymity, said.
The Rayanapadu station is located 14 km far away from Vijayawada.A series of meetings were conducted with the APSRTC officials to introduce regular bus services between Rayanapadu and Pandit Nehru Bus Station for the convenience of passengers, he said, adding that RTC officials are mulling over constructing a bus terminal at Rayanapadu.