The modernized Sullurupeta railway station in Andhra Pradesh was officially opened on Thursday by Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, marking a major step towards improving passenger amenities and infrastructure.

As part of the statewide Amrit Bharat Station reconstruction initiative, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually started, the inauguration was conducted in the presence of local MLA N. Vijayasree.

Prior to the official opening, Dr. Chandrasekhar and MLA Vijayasree visited the renovated station’s facilities and spoke with residents, outlining the new amenities and the transformation’s goal. Speaking to the audience, the Minister emphasized the sharp difference between the British railway stations of the past—just symbols on a map—and the contemporary centers of convenience and connectedness.

Dr. Chandrasekhar recalled his own early rail travel experiences and pointed out the absence of basic amenities like comfortable seats and functional restrooms. According to him, Prime Minister Modi’s Amrit Bharat Station project intends to provide travelers with an experience similar to that of contemporary bus stops and airports, signifying India’s progress towards becoming a developed country.

Additionally, he praised Modi’s innovative leadership for expanding the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme to more than 1,300 railway stations nationwide and introducing semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains. Only the Sullurupeta station’s renovation was finished, and it cost around Rs. 14.5 crore.

According to Dr. Chandrasekhar, the federal government intends to provide Andhra Pradesh a railway budget of Rs. 50,000 crore during the course of the next five years. He credited this development to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership and the joint efforts of the TDP and BJP in their quest to introduce a “double-engine sarkar” to the state.

A number of luminaries attended the occasion, including Sullurpet RDO Kiranmayi, BJP State Vice President Vakati Narayana Reddy, TDP District President G Narasimha Yadav, Chennai Divisional Railway Manager B Vishwanath Eerya, and District Collector Dr S Venkateswar.