A four-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) will soon come up between Guntur and Nambur railway stations in Andhra Pradesh, replacing Level Crossing (LC) Gate No. 3 on the Guntur-Krishna Canal section of the Guntur-Nambur railway line.
The foundation stone for the project was laid on Saturday by Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna and Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar.
The bridge has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 108 crore, with the entire expenditure to be borne by the Ministry of Railways. The proposed viaduct will be 668 metres long and require 2.9 acres of land.
Located close to Guntur city's Inner Ring Road, the ROB will provide a direct connection between Bus Stand Road and Gorantla village. Construction of the bridge is expected to begin soon.
How The ROB Will Improve Guntur Connectivity
The new four-lane bridge is expected to ease traffic movement in the area by removing delays caused by the existing level crossing. It will also help reduce vehicle congestion and fuel consumption while improving road safety and train punctuality.
Addressing the gathering, V Somanna said passenger safety and operational efficiency remain key priorities for Indian Railways. He said replacing level crossings with modern Road Over Bridges and Road Under Bridges is an important measure towards safer and more efficient transportation.
Somanna also said railway station infrastructure is being modernised in Andhra Pradesh, with 74 railway stations in the state being developed with modern facilities at a cost of about Rs 3,500 crore.
Dr Pemmasani Chandra Shekhar stated that the Centre is committed to the development of transport infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh. He mentioned that there is a joint effort by the Central and State departments to expedite major road and railway projects in the Guntur district and to solve traffic problems faced by the locals.
Project Details
* Project: Four-lane Road Over Bridge
* Location: Guntur-Nambur railway section, Guntur-Krishna Canal
* Replaces: LC Gate No. 3
* Estimated cost: Rs 108 crore
* Funding: Entirely funded by the Ministry of Railways
* Length: 668 metres
* Land required: 2.9 acres
* Connectivity: Inner Ring Road, Bus Stand Road and Gorantla village
South Coast Railway General Manager Sandeep Mathur welcomed the dignitaries and outlined the capital and safety works being undertaken in the zone. Guntur Divisional Railway Manager Sudeshna Sen coordinated the event.
The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Bashyam Ramakrishna, Ponnur MLA Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar, East Guntur MLA Mohammed Nazir, West Guntur MLA Galla Madhavi and Pratipadu MLA BR Ramanjaneyulu, along with senior railway officials and residents of Guntur.