Hyderabad: In a boost to railway infrastructure in Telangana, the Centre has accorded special railway project status to the proposed Bhadrachalam–Malkangiri rail line, paving the way for Bhadrachalam, dubbed ‘Dakshin Ayodhya’, to be placed on the railway map for the first time.According to the South Central Railway (SCR), the 173-km railway line, estimated to cost nearly Rs 2,900 crore, is being planned as a high-speed corridor capable of supporting train operations at 160 kmph.The project is set to be one of the most challenging works in the region. It would feature over 300 bridges, 41 road over bridges (ROBs) and 66 road under bridges (RUBs), eliminating the need for level crossings along the entire route. A key highlight would be the construction of a railway bridge across the Godavari near Bhadrachalam, similar to the one in Rajahmundry, built in 1974.The rail line is expected to significantly improve connectivity to the popular Sree Seetha Ramachandraswamy Devasthanam at Bhadrachalam. At present, the temple town is served by a passenger train in the morning and a superfast express at night from Hyderabad to Kothagudem, which is named Bhadrachalam Road. Devotees must then undertake an additional one-hour road journey to reach the temple. The new rail line would enable SCR to introduce more passenger services while providing a direct connectivity to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.To avoid confusion (between the two stations) once the new railway line becomes operational, railway officials say there could be two possibilities regarding the station names. The existing ‘Bhadrachalam Road’ railway station might retain its current name while the new station in the temple town may be named just Bhadrachalam. Alternatively, the existing Bhadrachalam Road station could be renamed Kothagudem, allowing the new station to officially bear the name Bhadrachalam.Beyond passenger convenience, the project is expected to emerge as an important freight corridor connecting south India with the northern and eastern parts of the country. The line would also facilitate faster transportation of coal to thermal power plants in southern states, improve logistics for the aluminium and iron ore industries, and provide wider market access for agricultural produce from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.“The project will require approximately 843.9 hectares of land, including private, govt and forest land. IT is estimated to be complted in five years. Thirteen new railway stations are proposed along the route,” a senior SCR official said.The Pandurangapuram–Bhadrachalam–Malkangiri line forms part of the larger 290-km Junagarh–Nabarangpur–Jeypore–Malkangiri– Bhadrachalam–Pandurangapuram railway project. Beginning at Pandurangapuram in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, the line passes through the temple town of Bhadrachalam and also Alluri Sitaramaraju district of Andhra Pradesh and then finally touches various districts in Odisha.GFX:
