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The 76.559-km project is expected to ease congestion on one of the important railway routes connecting Tamil Nadu with Andhra Pradesh and provide greater operational flexibility for passenger and freight services. Renigunta, a major railway junction, serves as a key entry point for thousands of pilgrims travelling to Tirupati and Tirumala.

The project is part of a larger railway infrastructure expansion approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday. For the Tirupati region, the additional lines are likely to be particularly useful during festivals and peak pilgrimage seasons when passenger movement increases considerably. The Arakkonam-Renigunta section carries several passenger, long-distance and freight trains, putting considerable pressure on the existing infrastructure.

The proposed lines will also strengthen rail access to several prominent religious destinations along the corridor. Improved capacity could help the Railways handle the increased flow of devotees during major religious events. The capacity augmentation proposal had been under consideration for some time. The Detailed Project Report for the third and fourth lines was completed and submitted to the Railway Board earlier this year. Land acquisition proceedings had also begun before the project received Cabinet approval.

A Gazette notification issued in January 2026 declared the proposed railway expansion between Arakkonam and Renigunta as a Special Railway Project for land acquisition in Tirupati and Chittoor districts. The new lines will effectively extend the multi-tracking network beyond the existing four-line Chennai-Arakkonam section towards Renigunta.

This is expected to improve train movement into Andhra Pradesh and facilitate smoother operations for services heading towards destinations farther south. Meanwhile, work on another capacity expansion project is progressing in Tirupati district. Land acquisition has commenced for an 83.17-km third railway line between Gudur and Renigunta.