Concerns Over New Railway Lines in Paleru Constituency
The proposed new railway lines in the Paleru constituency of Khammam district are causing worry among local residents and farmers. Many fear that the project will lead to significant losses to their livelihoods. In response to these concerns, Khammam MP R Raghuram Reddy, along with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and other Congress MPs, took the issue to Delhi. They met with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to discuss the matter.
While acknowledging the importance of improving the railway network in the State, the Chief Minister pointed out the difficulties these plans are causing for locals. Paleru MLA and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy emphasized that the proposed railway lines would heavily impact farmers and marginalized communities, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), and minorities, who rely on agricultural land for their income.
One of the proposed projects, the Dornakal-Miryalaguda-Gadwal railway line, has been put forward by the Stambhadri Urban Development Authority (SUDA). This line is set to pass through fertile farmland and important areas in the Paleru constituency, which could lead to major disruptions. MP Raghuram Reddy explained that even an alternative route, which would run from Dornakal via Papad Pally and Janpahad (Miryalaguda), would still cut through the Paleru region, causing unavoidable damage.
The MP also noted that the construction of a third railway line in Khammam is almost complete. This line connects six national highways, making it a significant infrastructure development. However, he urged the authorities to consider alternative routes for future railway projects to minimize harm to the constituency.
Another concern raised by Raghuram Reddy was the high cost of land in the SUDA region, where prices range between Rs 1 crore and Rs 4 crore. He warned that the new railway line would place a heavy financial burden on local residents and communities.
Several Congress leaders were part of the delegation that addressed these concerns with the Union Railway Minister. The group included MPs Mallu Ravi, Suresh Shetkar, Porika Balaram Nayak, Kiran Kumar Reddy, and government advisor Mohammed Shabbir Ali. Former MP Hanmantha Rao also participated in the meeting.
