Andhra Pradesh has been directed to expedite land acquisition for the Errupalem-Amaravati-Namburu railway line after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the state’s major infrastructure and development projects under the PRAGATI initiative. The state has also been asked to accelerate work on the Bulk Drug Park at Nakkapalli in Anakapalli district and the PM Ekta Mall in Visakhapatnam.
The directions were issued during a video conference with chief secretaries of various states from New Delhi on Wednesday. The review focused on projects requiring coordination between state governments, the Centre and implementing agencies, with the Prime Minister stressing proactive measures to ensure timely completion.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Sai Prasad informed the meeting that the state government would expedite the land acquisition process for the Errupalem-Amaravati-Namburu railway project. The state aims to complete the process and hand over the required land to the Railways during November and December.
The railway line is considered an important connectivity project for the state capital region. The Prime Minister emphasised that land-related issues should not delay its progress. The project will require coordination between the state administration, the Railways and agencies handling land acquisition and regional planning.
During the review, Modi also assessed the progress of the Bulk Drug Park being developed at Nakkapalli in Anakapalli district. The park is among the industrial projects whose implementation was discussed during the meeting, although the supplied report does not specify its revised construction timeline, project cost or the extent of work completed.
The PM Ekta Mall project in Visakhapatnam was also reviewed. The state government briefed the Prime Minister on the progress of the project, and he called for concerted efforts to accelerate implementation and keep it on schedule. The report does not provide details of the mall’s construction status, delivery deadline or operating model.
The meeting also covered PM GatiShakti and the PM Setu initiative relating to the ITI ecosystem. The PRAGATI platform is used to review major development projects and address implementation bottlenecks through coordination between central and state authorities.
Sai Prasad attended the video conference along with Special Chief Secretary RP Sisodia, Principal Secretary Syamala Rao, Secretaries Kona Sasidhar and Yuvaraj, APIIC Managing Director Dinesh Kumar and CRDA Additional Commissioner Bhargav Tej. The next stated milestone for the railway project is the completion of land acquisition and handover to the Railways during November and December.
