SCoR Advances Rs 1,250 Crore Tirupati Rail Projects To Reduce Congestion And Train Delays

South Coast Railway (SCoR) has taken a major step toward strengthening rail infrastructure in the Tirupati region by advancing long-pending railway projects worth nearly Rs 1,250 crore. With the land acquisition process now almost completed, authorities have begun preparations for on-ground construction activities and have invited tenders for key components of the projects.

The development follows SCoR's issuance of the final land acquisition notification for 73 acres spread across five villages in Yerpedu and Renigunta mandals. The acquired land is required for two strategically important projects - the Yerpedu-Pudi railway bypass line and the Gudur-Renigunta third railway line. Authorities have already floated tenders for the Rs 350-crore Yerpedu-Pudi bypass line, while contracts for the Rs 900-crore Gudur-Renigunta tripling project have been awarded to E To E Transportation Infrastructure Limited.

These projects are expected to bring significant relief to thousands of pilgrims travelling to Tirupati every day for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara. At present, the Gudur-Renigunta section is one of the busiest railway corridors in the region, often experiencing heavy congestion, leading to train delays and longer travel times. The new infrastructure is aimed at easing traffic bottlenecks, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring faster and more reliable train services.

The 83-km Gudur-Renigunta Third Line Project covers the Renigunta-Srikalahasti, Srikalahasti-Venkatagiri, and Venkatagiri-Gudur sections. Once completed, it will facilitate smoother movement of both passenger and freight trains, increase line capacity, and reduce waiting times. Meanwhile, the Yerpedu-Pudi Bypass Line will enable long-distance trains to bypass Renigunta station altogether.

Other developments in Indian Railways

In another boost to railway infrastructure, Indian Railways has approved the Adipur-Bhuj Doubling Project in Gujarat's Kutch region at an estimated cost of Rs 493 crore. The national transporter has also sanctioned the Rs 172-crore Somtane-Chikhli Chord Line project in Maharashtra, aimed at reducing congestion at Panvel Junction and improving rail operations in the Mumbai metropolitan region.

According to an official statement, the 49-km Adipur-Bhuj double-line project will allow the introduction of two additional passenger train services in each direction daily. It is also expected to enhance freight handling capacity by around 12 million tonnes per annum on the Adipur-Bhuj section of the Western Railway network. The project forms part of Indian Railways' broader capacity augmentation programme, which focuses on doubling, tripling, and other network expansion works to meet the anticipated rise in passenger and freight traffic across the country.

Currently, the Adipur-Bhuj section operates as a single-line route on the Gandhidham-Naliya corridor. Traffic demand in the region is projected to grow substantially due to several railway infrastructure projects already under implementation. These include the Bhuj-Naliya gauge conversion project, the extension of the Naliya-Vayor line, and the construction of new railway links connecting Naliya-Jakhau, Vayor-Lakhpat, and Deshalpar-Luna. Together, these projects are expected to strengthen rail connectivity in Kutch, support industrial and port-led growth, and improve transportation efficiency across the region.