India’s longest Electrified Rail Tunnel was inaugurated on 01st September 2019 by honourable vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu. This tunnel, which has 44 trolley refuges and 14 cross-passages in a horseshoe design, is located between Cherlopalli and Rapuru in Andhra Pradesh.

The total construction cost of this tunnel is Rs 437 crore and has a length of 6.7 Kms. Vice-president Naidu called the tunnel an “engineering marvel”. The tunnel will provide viable rail connectivity between the Krishnapatnam Port and will help in the seamless movement of freight.

The vice-president also inaugurated an electrified railway line between Venkatachalam and Obulavaripalli. This newly inaugurated line, built at a cost of ₹1,993 crore, reduces travel time from 10 to five hours for a goods train from Krishnapatnam Port to Obulavaripalli. This line has nine railway stations along the route, 146 bridges, 60 road-under-bridges and two tunnels.

The vice-president also inaugurated the remodelled yard at Guduru railway station and a new inter-city superfast express train between Guduru and Vijayawada.