Minister B.C. Janardhan Reddy on Tuesday ceremonially flagged off the new Tirupati-Sai Nagar-Shirdi Express, inaugurating a direct rail link between two of the region’s most visited spiritual destinations.

Addressing the gathering, Janardhan Reddy said the introduction of the weekly express will significantly enhance pilgrimage convenience and bolster temple tourism between Tirupati and the Shirdi shrine. “This train is a major step in strengthening rail connectivity for devotees and will support spiritual tourism,” he said, noting that an existing weekly service from Tirupati to Shirdi will now be complemented by this new weekend link.

The minister conveyed the state government’s appeal to the central authorities to expand services further. He thanked Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State V. Somanna for their cooperation in approving the additional weekly train, and said the state had requested provision of a return service catering to pilgrims travelling from Shirdi to Tirupati. “Considering passenger congestion, we will press for daily services in due course,” Janardhan Reddy added, urging beneficiaries to complete necessary registrations and documentation to expedite allocations.

Minister Janardhan Reddy also highlighted broader railway initiatives centred on Tirupati. He said the South Central Railway is overseeing approximately Rs. 6,700 crore of development work in the city, and the state government is pursuing an ambitious rail programme valued at Rs. 33,630 crore. “Plans are underway to develop 1,564 km of new routes and upgrade iconic stations including Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati,” he said, adding that a modern, innovative station is envisaged for Amaravati.

The minister reiterated the government’s focus on fast-tracking projects by tackling land acquisition, forest clearance and related issues through a dedicated task force established on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s directions. He also said proposals to construct 373 rail over- and under-bridges across the state have been submitted, and works to upgrade Rajamahendravaram station with an allocation of Rs. 271 crore are being accelerated.