In a major incentive to urban mobility and rail safety under the vision of “New Railways, New Andhra Pradesh,” the foundation stone for a four-lane Road Over Bridge (ROB) between Guntur and Nambur railway stations was laid today by the Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti, Shri V. Somanna, alongwith Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar.
Sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹108 Crore, with the entire cost borne by the Ministry of Railways, the 668-metre four-lane ROB will replace Level Crossing (LC) Gate No. 3 on the Guntur-Krishna Canal section of Guntur-Nambur line. Situated near the Inner Ring Road of Guntur City, the bridge connects Bus Stand Road directly with Gorantla Village. Requiring 2.9 acres of land, construction works are scheduled to commence shortly.
Addressing the gathering, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti, Shri V. Somanna, said that Indian Railways accords top priority to passenger safety and operational efficiency. He noted that eliminating level crossing gates through modern ROBs and RUBs is an essential step toward achieving zero accidents and punctuality. He added that the Central Government is modernizing rail infrastructure at an unprecedented pace across Andhra Pradesh, and this 4-lane bridge will save valuable commute time, reduce fuel wastage, prevent vehicle detentions, and foster regional socio-economic development. Apart from ROB/RUBs 74 railway stations in AP are getting modified with modern world class amenities with an investment of Rs 3500 crores.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, said that the Centre remains firmly dedicated to the rapid expansion of Andhra Pradesh’s transport infrastructure. He highlighted that close synergy between Central and State departments is fast-tracking key road and rail projects in the Guntur region to deliver world-class connectivity and resolve long-standing traffic bottlenecks for local residents.
Earlier, General Manager of South Coast Railway, Shri Sandeep Mathur, welcomed the dignitaries and highlighted Indian Railways' ongoing capital and safety works in the zone. Divisional Railway Manager, Guntur, Smt. Sudheshna Sen, coordinated the event.
The program was attended by distinguished public representatives including Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Shri Bashyam Ramakrishna; Member of Legislative Assembly (Ponnur) Shri Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar; MLA (East Guntur) Shri Mohammed Nazeer; MLA (West Guntur) Smt. Galla Madhavi; and MLA (Prathipadu) Shri B. R. Ramanjaneyulu, IAS (Retd.), alongside senior railway officials and citizens of Guntur.
Project: Construction of 4-Lane Road Over Bridge in lieu of LC Gate No. 3
Location: Guntur-Nambur (Guntur-Krishna Canal section), connecting Inner Ring Road, Gorantla Village, and Bus Stand Road
Estimated Cost: ₹108 Crore (100% funded by Railways)
Benefits: Elimination of gate detentions, seamless flow of city vehicular traffic, fuel savings, enhanced train punctuality, and upgraded urban safety.
Dharmendra Tewari/ Dr. Nayan Solanki/ Ritu Raj