Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held a crucial meeting with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday, presenting a comprehensive blueprint to revolutionize the state’s railway infrastructure. A primary highlight of his request was the introduction of a new Vande Bharat Express service connecting Vijayawada and Bengaluru via Tirupati. Additionally, the Chief Minister urged the Centre to integrate the temple town of Tirupati into the Bengaluru-Chennai High-Speed Rail Corridor and demanded the immediate operationalization of the South Coast Railway Zone, headquartered in Visakhapatnam, by April 1, 2026.
Beyond passenger services, Naidu focused heavily on logistics and connectivity to boost the state’s economy. He proposed the development of Greenfield Mega Coaching Terminals in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Amaravati. To support the agricultural sector, he requested a 50% subsidy on reefer containers to facilitate banana exports from Tadipatri to Mumbai’s JNPT port. Furthermore, he pushed for the approval of new railway lines, including a strategic route between Hyderabad, Srisailam, and Markapuram to provide easier access for pilgrims visiting the Srisailam shrine.
The Chief Minister’s Delhi tour also included productive meetings with other Union Ministers to secure urban and industrial support. He met with Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, requesting ₹105 crore in central funds for the “Zero Landfill State” initiative under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0. Later, in a meeting with Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Naidu expressed gratitude for the Centre’s support in turning around the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL). He noted that the plant is now operating at full capacity and yielding profits, urging continued central backing to maintain this momentum.
