Sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 108 crore, the project will be fully funded by the Ministry of Railways. The 668-metre-long, four-lane ROB will replace Level Crossing (LC) Gate No. 3 on the Guntur-Krishna Canal section of the Guntur-Nambur line. Located near Guntur City's Inner Ring Road, the bridge will directly connect Bus Stand Road with Gorantla Village. The project requires 2.9 acres of land, and construction is scheduled to begin shortly.
Addressing the gathering, V. Somanna said Indian Railways accords top priority to passenger safety and operational efficiency. He emphasised that replacing level crossing gates with modern road over bridges and road under bridges (RUBs) is essential to reducing accidents and improving train punctuality.
He added that the Central Government is accelerating railway infrastructure modernisation across Andhra Pradesh. The four-lane ROB is expected to reduce commuting time, minimise fuel consumption, eliminate waiting time at the level crossing and support regional socio-economic development.
Somanna also stated that 74 railway stations across Andhra Pradesh are being upgraded with modern passenger amenities under an investment of Rs 3,500 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said the Centre remains committed to expanding Andhra Pradesh's transport infrastructure. He highlighted the coordination between Central and State government departments in expediting key road and railway projects in the Guntur region. These initiatives aim to improve connectivity and address long-standing traffic congestion issues affecting local residents.
Earlier, South Coast Railway General Manager Sandeep Mathur welcomed the dignitaries and outlined the zone's ongoing capital expenditure and railway safety initiatives. Guntur Divisional Railway Manager Sudheshna Sen coordinated the event.
The programme was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Bashyam Ramakrishna; Ponnur MLA Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar; East Guntur MLA Mohammed Nazeer; West Guntur MLA Galla Madhavi; and Prathipadu MLA B. R. Ramanjaneyulu, IAS (Retd.), along with senior railway officials and residents of Guntur.
The new four-lane ROB is expected to improve road connectivity between Guntur's Inner Ring Road, Bus Stand Road and Gorantla Village while reducing traffic delays at the existing level crossing. By separating road and rail traffic, the project is also expected to improve safety and support smoother movement of vehicles and trains.
