The Hindu Business Line : Rly Minister vows to finish sanctioned projects in 5 years

THE UPA Government is committed to completing all sanctioned but long-pending railway projects such as the Pithapuram-Kakinada line during the next five years and adequate Budgetary allocations will be made for the same, Mr R. Velu, Minister of State for Railways, has said.

He was speaking here on Saturday afternoon after inaugurating the restored Kakinada-Kotipalli railway line. Later, the Minister went to Kotipalli and flagged off the first passenger train.

The line, it may be noted, was laid by the British but abandoned later.

In response to the pleas made by all the local legislators that the Pithapuram-Kakinada rail line will be laid as soon as possible in view of the growing importance of Kakinada port, Mr Velu said.

The 21-km line, which would cost Rs 44 crore, had been sanctioned long ago, but the requisite allocations had to be made.

``It is only a matter of time, but the line will be laid and Kakinada will be brought on the main line,'' he assured.

He said the Kakinada-Kotipalli line would be extended to Narasapur in West Godavari district and for that three major bridges would have to be constructed on the Godavari in the Konaseema region of East Godavari.

``The total project would cost Rs 700 crore and the bridges alone over Rs 350 crore, but we will complete it,'' he promised.

He said all pending railway projects in the country would cost well over Rs 46,000 crore.

``We are working on the resource mobilisation for these projects,'' he said.

Earlier, he inaugurated the renovated Rajahmundry, Samalkot and Kakinada Town stations in East Godavari district.