PM Modi to inaugurate rail projects worth Rs 6,350 cr in Chhattisgarh today

The rail projects include Chhattisgarh East Rail Project Phase-I, third rail line between Champa to Jamga, and third rail line between Pendra Road to Anuppur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will inaugurate rail sector projects worth Rs 6,350 crore during his visit to Chhattisgarh.

PM Modi will arrive in Raigarh around 3:15 pm and will address a public rally. He will lay the foundation stone of "critical care blocks" in nine districts of Chattisgarh and will distribute 100,000 sickle cell counselling cards.

The rail projects include Chhattisgarh East Rail Project Phase-I, a third rail line between Champa and Jamga, a third rail line between Pendra Road to Anuppur, and MGR (merry-go-round) system connecting the Talaipalli Coal Mine to NTPC Lara Super Thermal Power Station (STPS).

The Chhattisgarh East Rail Project Phase-I is being developed under the PM Gati Shakti plan, which will have a 124.8 km rail line from Kharsia to Dharamjaygarh, including a spur line to Gare-Pelma and three feeder lines connecting Chhal, Baroud, Durgapur, and other coal mines. Built for Rs 3,055 crore, the rail line has electrified broad gauge level crossings and a free part double line with passenger amenities.

The third rail line, running between Pendra Road and Anuppur, is 50 km long and built at Rs 516 crore. The 98-km-long third line between Champa and Jamga rail section is built at a cost of about 796 crores.

The 65-km-long electrified MGR system will deliver low-cost, high-grade coal from NTPC's Talaipalli coal mine to 1,600 megawatts (MW) NTPC Lara Super Thermal Power Station in Chhattisgarh. Built for Rs 2,070 crore, the MGR system will help improve coal transportation from coal mines to power stations.

50 bedded critical care blocks

During the event, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of 50 bedded "critical care blocks" in nine districts of Chattisgarh, namely Durg, Kondagaon, Rajnandgaon, Gariaband, Jashpur, Surajpur, Surguja, Bastar, and Raigarh.

The nine critical care blocks will be built under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) at Rs 210 crore.

Under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSAEM), the prime minister will distribute 100,000 sickle cell counselling cards to the screened population.