VIJAYAWADA: YSRC MPs demanded that the Ministry of Railways reduce the State share in the cost of railway projects sanctioned for Andhra Pradesh, particularly the Nadikudi-Srikalahasti railway line project. Speaking to mediapersons in New Delhi on Monday, YSRC MP Sri Krishna Devarayulu said though Rs 8,500 crore was allocated to AP in the Railway Budget for 2023-24, there is no clarity as to how it is going to be spent.
The MP found fault with the Centre for holding the State responsible for the delay in execution of the projects stating land needed for the projects is not alienated. “All that is being said about the projects sanctioned before 2014 and not speaking taking the situation in the State post bifurcation,” he pointed out and sought re-evolution of the railway projects sanctioned for AP.
The MP said they will raise all these issues in Parliament, besides the unfulfilled promises made to the State in the AP Reorganisation Act. As per the directions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who wanted to have the shortest possible travel time between the Assembly constituency and the national highway, they pursued the matter and got several highway projects sanctioned accordingly, he said.
YSRC Tirupati MP M Gurumoorthy said as the situation has changed, continuing with the State-Centre pact regarding the Nadikudi - Srikalahasti railway line entered prior to 2014 is not proper. Hence, it needs to be revisited. He cited the examples of Bihar and Jharkhand, where such projects were revised according to the changed situation. “We will raise the issue and strive to get the State share in the project cost reduced,” he asserted.
The MP said there is an urgent need for constructing a state-of-the-art bus stand in Tirupati as a landmark and a Rs 500 crore worth project proposal is being prepared. Even the feasibility of ropeway project in Tirupati is under study, while the ropeway proposal for Srikalahasti is already prepared. A proposal for setting up of the National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology has been submitted to the Centre and positive response is expected.
The CM urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the National Forensic Sciences University in Tirupati. The ministry should clear the proposal at the earliest, he said.