Union Budget: Rs 2,553 crore allocated for Vizag based Waltair Railway Division

Visakhapatnam: The Centre allocated a budget of Rs 2552.812 crores for Visakhapatnam based Waltair division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) for the new fiscal 2022-23.

This would be double than the last year's allocation of Rs 1192.68 crores, said the divisional railway manager Anup Kumar Satpathy. Nearly 80 percent of the works were completed regarding the last year’s budget.

A lion share of the allocations would be related to the doubling of railway lines to the tune of Rs 2162.5 crores. The Kottavalasa-Kirandul doubling and third line between Vizianagaram-Raipur would be laid, he added.

However, the Centre signed its stand for creation of new railway zone - South Coast Railway by separating Rayagada station as a new division by allocating Rs 40 lakhs in the new budget, the railway official said.

With a focus to enhance the safety works and to improve infrastructure facilities, the budget allotment has been significant for projects to be completed in 2022-23.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Satpathy said that there has been a significant increase in outlay for Doubling, Road Safety works, Road under Bridge and Over Bridges, and New line constructions.

Some of the ongoing doubling and new line works given priority with allocation of Rs 2208 Crores. The projects like Jeypore - Malkangiri (130 km); Jeypore - Navarangpur (38 km); Naupada-Gunupur - New broad gauge line up to Theruvali (79.15 km), Vizianagaram-Kottavalasa - 3rd line (34.7 km); Jeypore - Malkangiri (130 km); Jeypore - Navarangpur (38 km); Naupada-Gunupur - New broad gauge line upto Theruvali (79.15 km) and Vizianagaram-Kottavalasa - 3rd line (34.7 km) in this funding.

Towards Traffic facility works an amount of Rs 11 crores allocated which includes Gopalapatnam-Vizianagaram - Provision of auto signaling including Simhachalam bypass line, Conversion of Line 4 into longer loop with common loop status for python trains at Chipurupalli.

For Road safety works that includes Road over/ under bridges, level crossings an amount of Rs 17.74 crores have been allocated that includes Palasa-Pundi - Road over bridge in lieu of level crossing No.ML/373 (Srikakulam District), Ponduru-Sigdam - Road over bridge in lieu of level crossing No.ML/438, Naupada-Kotabommali - Road over bridge, Urlam-Srikakulam - Road over bridge, manning of unmanned level crossings.