Chhattisgarh Government has conveyed its refusal to bear two-thirds cost of Raipur-Titlagarh railway track doubling project as agreed in 2010, the Union Railway Ministry has informed.
The railway track passes through four districts Raipur and Mahasamund, (Chhattisgarh) Nawapara and Bolangir (Orissa) districts, the Ministry informed.
This doubling of existing railway track between Raipur – Titlagarh (about 202.8 kms in length) under South-East Central Railway and East Coast Railway.
The project aims to alleviate the capacity constraints of already saturated existing single lines, which have considerable significance in bulk freight transport of various commodities.
The project on its implementation would increase the physical infrastructure and increase the capacity and the operational efficiency of the existing tracks with introduction of modern signalling systems.
Notably, as many as five new railway line and six track doubling projects are in different stages of execution which fall partly or fully in the State of Chhattisgarh, the Union Railway Ministry has informed.
Therefore, 19 projects of new lines and double tracks having a total cost of Rs 23,710 crore are in different stages of execution which fall partly or fully in the State of Chhattisgarh. The aggregate length of these projects is around Rs 2,742 Km.
The project of new railway line with electrification from Katghora- Mungeli-Kawardha-Khairagarh-Dongargarh Corridor (255 km) besides Katghora to Kartala (22 km) will be implemented at a total cost of Rs 4821 crore which is being developed by Chhattisgarh Railway Corporation limited (CRCl), a Joint Venture Company of Ministry of Railways and Government of Chhattisgarh.
On the other hand, the Chhattisgarh East Railway ltd (CERl) and Chhattisgarh East West Railway ltd (CEWRl) have sought forest land diversion of 26.52 hectares in Raigarh district for laying railway track in the East Rail Corridor from Kharsia to Gurda and Ghargoda to Gare Pelma in Raigarh district to be used for freight and passenger service, officials informed.
The Proposed rail corridor is being planned in view of very high increase in coal movement and anticipated increase due to construction of thermal power plants in north-west and central India and to facilitate movement of passengers resulting in development of area.
An ‘Addendum and Corrigendum’ to the Concession Agreement between South East Central Railway (SECR) and Chhattisgarh East Railway limited (CERl) for Phase-I of East Rail Corridor project has been signed on March 21, 2017, officials informed.
The concession agreement between SECR and CERl was signed on June 12, 2015. However due to better operational issues the project now includes feeder lines to ensure end to end connectivity from coal mines to end user’s premises.
This is considered to be a significant milestone in ensuring faster implementation of the East Rail Corridor Phase-I project which will also ensure availability of Rail system to the remote villages of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh.
A total of 76 route kilometres have been identified for Railway electrification in Chhattisgarh, the Union Railway Ministry has informed in a press release.
Notably , Indian Railways has prepared an Action Plan to electrify 38000 Route Kilometers in five years (2017-18 to 2021-22) for 100% electrification of its Broad Gauge (BG) rail routes in the country.
Railway Electrification projects are not confined to State boundaries. To achieve 100 per cent electrification of Broad Gauge (BG) rail routes, pace of electrification has been increased from present average of 1700 route kilometer per Annum to 4000 Route Kilometer/Annum which will further be increased to 6000 Route Kilometers in 2018-19.