Govt pulls infra lever to deliver

Outlay of Rs 1,535 cr proposed for various projects being implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd.

Indian Railways today announced a host of new initiatives that include a blueprint for a high-density network, a new wagon-leasing policy, a foray into door-to-door logistics services and enhanced public-private partnerships for developing world-class stations.

A new railway coach factory in Kerala and increasing the number of unreserved ticket counters to 15,000 and automatic ticket vending machines to 6,000 by 2010 were also announced in the Railway Budget 2008-09. The Kerala government has made available 1,000 acres for the rail coach factory to the ministry.

In addition, a new wagon reconstruction unit at a cost of Rs 40 crore is scheduled to come up in Prasad's Lok Sabha constituency, Chhapra, in Bihar. Also, the Mokama and Muzaffarpur wagon factories, in Bihar, will now be taken over by the railways.

A feasibility study for construction of high-speed passenger corridors, announced last year, is underway. The railways plan to construct one corridor each in four regions.

All alternatives, including private-public partnership will be considered for these corridors, Prasad said.

An outlay of Rs 1,535 crore has been proposed for various projects being implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. Around Rs 650 crore has also been allotted for Metropolitan Transport Projects in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.

Railways have allocated Rs 2,500 crore for doubling work and Rs 984 crore for traffic facility works. "During the current year, 2,300 km broad-gauge lines are likely to be completed and a target of 3,500 km has been set for 2008-09," said Prasad.

Prasad has sought additional fund of Rs 1,712 crore from the finance ministry for national projects of Udhampur- Srinagar- Baramulla, Jiribam- Imphal Road, Rangia- Murkongselek gauge conversion among others.