KADAPA: The railway line electrification covering Yerraguntla in Kadapa district and Nandyal in Kurnool district is progressing at a brisk pace. Undertaken at a cost of Rs 123 crore, authorities are expecting to complete the work by December. Electrical wires and poles have already been laid along the railway tracks from Nandyal to Jammalamadugu.
Arrangements have been made to carry out electrification works from Nandyala side to Madduru, Banaganapalle, Kovelakuntla, Sandhyamala, Nossam, S. Uppalapadu and Jammalamadugu.
Other works from Proddatur to Yerraguntla will be taken up shortly as would be a 25 KWA power substation at Kovelakuntla.
However, given the current situation, the electrification work is not likely to be completed in three months.
The Nandyal-Yerraguntla railway line was constructed at a cost of Rs 976 crore. The first passenger train service on this route was launched on August 20, 2016.
The Union government is prioritizing electrification of railways to reduce the use of diesel engines. Passenger train services are available from Yerraguntla to Nandyal on all days except Sunday. The Dharmavaram Express runs on this route to Vijayawada. An engineering official said the process of laying electric concrete pillars in the excavated pits was being delayed due to the land surface.
