RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The Rajahmundry Railway Station will be developed with international standards at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore. The works have already begun, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Dhanunjay Rao has said.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, Rao said two more platforms would be added to the existing three and another platform would come up on the eastern side. He claimed that Rajahmundry was the second station after Vijayawada with heavy flow of traffic and passengers.
The DRM said the Railway School in the city would be closed down. Railway schools at Bitragunta and other places in the division were already wound up as part of a phase-wise plan being executed in the entire country. However, Classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 would continue and no admissions would be conducted for Class 6. He further said, “As the Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation (RMC) has come forward to adopt the school, we will hand it over to the civic body after completing all formalities. They will develop the necessary infrastructure at the school.”
He said the SCR had agreed to hand over a railway site to municipal authorities for construction of a Sulabh complex adjacent to the Parcel Office at the railway station. “We shall develop all infrastructural facilities on the eastern side of the Rajahmundry Railway Station,” he added.
Local MP M Muralimohan, who was present at the press conference, said the road on the other side of the main station would be widened to 80 feet as an alternative road to ease traffic in front of the station. He said as it was becoming difficult to widen the road, search was going on for viable alternatives. The Railway School shall be henceforth run by RMC and a junior college would come up on its premises in about one year.
If the construction works were completed on time, the college would be ready by March, 2019. Mayor P Rajani Seshasai and Rajahmundry Rural MLA G Butchaiah Chowdary also participated.
The DRM visited Anaparti, Nidadavole, Kovvur, Godavari and Rajahmundry railway stations, along with Rajahmundry MP Muralimohan on Wednesday at the latter’s request.