The South Central Railway successfully finished and activated a 16.7 km stretch of electrified third line connecting Chirala to Bapatla. This new section supplements the extensive 288 km-long tripling and electrification initiative between Vijayawada and Gudur. Consequently, a total of 189 km of railway line now boasts a third electrified track between Vijayawada and Gudur.

The Vijayawada-Gudur third line project, approved in the fiscal year 2015-16 for a distance of 288 km at an estimated cost of Rs 32.46 billion, marked a significant milestone, as per an official statement.

Out of this 288 km expanse, segments spanning 45 km from Chirala to Karavadi and 127 km from Gudur to Singarayakonda were already completed. The recent addition of 16.7 km connecting Chirala and Bapatla has brought the electrified stretch to a total of 189 km.

The Vijayawada-Gudur railway line, situated on the grand trunk route within the state, holds immense importance in linking the Northern and Eastern regions of the country with South India. Due to the escalating volume of passenger and freight trains, this route had become severely congested, necessitating the Vijayawada-Gudur tripling and electrification project.

Arun Kumar Jain, the General Manager of SCR Zone, emphasised the critical role of the Vijayawada-Gudur section in facilitating train operations between the Northern, Eastern, and Southern parts of the country. He highlighted that work across all stretches is being carried out concurrently. Upon completion, this project is anticipated to alleviate congestion significantly, enhancing the overall efficiency of train operations.