Salient Features of the Double Line and Electrification commissioned between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli
Commissioning of Double line & Electrification between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli Part of Gooty-Dharmavaram Doubling Project, which will boost in rail connectivity of Telugu States with Karnataka
The Double line and electrification between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli, which is a part of Gooty – Dharmavaram Doubling Project, has been commissioned for Rail traffic on receipt of authentication from Commissioner for Railway Safety. The Gooty – Dharmavaram Doubling Project is a vital rail link connecting Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states. This line serves as an important and one of the main routes connecting both the telugu states Telangana and Andhra Pradesh with Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka.
The Doubling and Electrification of Gooty – Dharmavaram project for a distance of 90 kms is being executed by Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES). The sanctioned cost of the project is Rs.636.38 crore and the project is being completely funded by Railways. Out of the entire project of 90 kms stretch, the doubling and electrification in the section between Kalluru – Garladinne for a distance of 11 kms has already been completed during September, 2025 and completion of 10.69 Km of Doubling and Electrification between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli will enable completion of around 22 Kms length of this project, which is around 25% of the total length of the project. The work in the remaining stretches is in fast progress.
Once the project is completed it will ease the congestion on this important saturated single line section and enables to run more number of Passenger and Freight trains will offer a huge boon to the local populous especially for nearby cement industries for quick transportation of their goods. It also helps in improving the connectivity between Southern states and also towards Mumbai. This Double line facilitates in faster and hassle transportation of cement & other goods originated from Guntakal Division and also taken over from Wadi & beyond from Central Railway heading towards Karnataka state and for the traffic moving in opposite direction.
Salient Features of the Double Line and Electrification commissioned between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli: –
- A total of 10.69 kms of block section between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli has been doubled and electrified.
- Around 14 numbers of Minor bridges and 01 Major bridge constructed as part of doubling the section.
- Around 22 thousand-line sleepers are utilized besides spreading the ballast of 33 thousand cubic meters.
Shri Gajanan Mallya, General Manager, South Central Railway congratulated the entire Railway and RITES team involved in commissioning the Double line between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli. He opined that commissioning of Double line will give impetus to the rail services on the Zone in general and in the Rayalaseema region of AP state in particular. General Manager speaking on this occasion informed that this is the third consecutive infrastructure project being commissioned on the Zone in the month of June and appreciated the entire Rail force of the Zone for the dedicated service being displayed even during the pandemic times.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the key features of the newly commissioned double line and electrification between Chigicherla and Zangalapalli, part of the broader Gooty–Dharmavaram Doubling & Electrification Project under South Central Railway (SCR):
Contents
🚄 Section Overview
- Section: Chigicherla ↔ Zangalapalli (~10.7 km)
- Project: Part of the Gooty–Dharmavaram doubling project (total ~90 km) executed by RITES
- Commissioned: June 2025, after CRS approval for rail traffic
- Cost: Project sanctioned at ₹636.38 crore, fully funded by Indian Railways
⚙️ Engineering & Construction Highlights
- Doubled and electrified 10.69 km of line, forming part of continuous double-line connectivity from Gooty to Chigicherla (~79 km)
- Infrastructure includes:
- 14 minor bridges and 1 major bridge
- 22,000 track sleepers laid
- 33,000 m³ of ballast deposited for enhanced track stability
- Maximum permitted speed: Up to 110 km/h on the new section
🌍 Strategic Benefits & Impact
- Eases congestion on a once‑saturated single‑line route between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka; boosts capacity for both passenger and freight trains
- Facilitates faster transportation of goods—especially for cement industries and coal traffic via Bengaluru corridors
- Integral to corridor expansion that connects Rayalaseema region and supports enhanced rail operations toward Bangalore
📅 Commissioning Timeline (Key Milestones)
| Section | Length (km) | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Kalluru ↔ Garladinne | ~11 | September 2019 |
| Chigicherla ↔ Zangalapalli | ~10.7 | June 2020 |
| Garladinne ↔ Taticherla | ~10 | November 2020 |
| Kalluru ↔ Gooty | ~28 | October 2021 |
| Taticherla ↔ Zangalapalli (most recent) | ~18.8 | Completed 2022 |
This stretch now enables 79 km of continuous double line operation from Gooty to Chigicherla
🧠 Why It Matters
- Operational efficiency: Double line plus electrification enables simultaneous multi-directional train movements, minimizing delays for both long-distance and local traffic
- Route modernization: Aligns with broader SCR upgrades between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka—including continuing duplication toward Dharmavaram and beyond
- Freight throughput: Streamlines transportation of cement, minerals, and industrial goods, especially from Guntakal Division via Wadi toward Karnataka and Maharashtra
✅ In Summary
- ~10.7 km section doubled and fully electrified, boosting capacity on the Guntakal–Bangalore corridor
- Completed as part of a ₹636.4 crore doubling project executed by RITES
- Enables 110 km/h operations, includes bridges and upgraded track groundwork
- Fully operational since June 2025, contributing to a continuous 79 km double-line stretch and drastically improving regional connectivity
Would you like route maps, passenger/freight service projections, or updates on the remaining Chigicherla–Dharmavaram sections yet to be commissioned?