If all goes well, the Delhiites might soon get relief from packed Metro trains and DTC buses with the announcement of revival of the almost defunct ring railways on Thursday. While Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announced the revival of ring railways in 2016-2017 Rail Budget the renewal of this circular rail network shares a bigger onus with the Delhi Government as it will have to ensure better transport connectivity to railway stations.
With a 10 per cent increase in the Budget allocation to Delhi Division of Railways, Rs208 crore budget has been set aside as compared to Rs190 crore last year.
While announcing a slew of initiatives, Prabhu said all the 21 stations of the ring railway will be modernised under PPP model. He added that the entire work plan shall come out in the next four months. “We will focus more on ring railways and in the next four months the entire work plan should be charted out,” said Suresh Prabhu during the Rail Budget speech. “Delhi, our national Capital, is under severe stress from rising pollution levels and can be provided relief by reviving the Ring Railway system comprising 21 stations. We will partner with the State Government to develop this infrastructure,” read the excerpts of Rail budget.
Currently, the Ring Railway network has more than 130 per cent utilisation, which means more than 30 per cent number than the designated number of trains are running on these tracks. Therefore, additional tracks will be required to balance the overutilisation of the tracks. Senior officials of the Delhi Division removal of encroachments, ensuring last mile connectivity and security is also required which will not be possible without effective cooperation of the State Government. Other than that, all railway stations need to have better connectivity to road-based transport.
“The Delhi Government shares the onus to ensure better connectivity to get public transport once the passengers get off the ring railways. With the collaborative effort, ring railways can be a success,” said Arun Arora, Divisional Railways Manager, Delhi Division of Northern Railway.
Ahead of the odd-even plan, the Delhi Government held a meeting with the Rail Minister stating that they were ready for the revival of the ring railways and had proposed that a committee be formed to look into its revival. While thanking Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu for the announcement on revival of ring-rail network in the Capital, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai said the move will boost public transport system in the city.
Rai added, “We already have big infrastructure, that too in Central Delhi, in the form of ring rail with 20 stations and a length of 35 kms. Its revival will enhance public transport facility for Delhiites. We will form a joint action committee in coordination with Union Ministry to explore ways to ensure last-mile connectivity as most stations on ring-rail are currently at least a kilometer away from populated areas.”
The average daily ridership comes to a measly 3,700, earning the exchequer somewhere in the vicinity of Rs1 lakh. Ridership has continuously gone down over the years. The 35.36km stretch connects 21 stations, including 12 halts and nine block stations. These include lajpat Nagar, lodi Colony, Sarojini Nagar, Safdarjung, Chanakyapuri, Patel Nagar, Nizamuddin and Pragati Maidan.