The Union Ministry of Railways has set track renewal target of 551 kms for South East Central Railway (SECR) division during the 12th Plan period.
Track renewal is an ongoing process which is undertaken as and when a stretch of track becomes due for renewal on age-cum-condition basis, officials informed.
Track Renewal works are planned in advance every year and their execution is prioritised according to the condition of track and overall availability of funds ensuring all the time that track is in a sound condition for safe running of trains.
In case, if any stretch of track is not renewed in time due to various reasons including scarcity of funds, material etc, suitable speed restrictions are imposed to ensure safe running of trains.
As on March 31, 2016, track renewal covering 5,900 km of track renewal have been sanctioned, out of which 2,668 km is targetted for the year 2016-17.
As per norms, track renewal works are to be completed within two to three years of sanction. This, however, also depends on budget availability, officials stated.
The total Budget outlay in year 2016-17 has been enhanced from `4,000 crores to `7,500 crores to speed up the track renewal works in the country. Accordingly, physical targets have also been increased from 1,500 km to 2,668 km.
There are a total of 840 farmers in Chhattisgarh whose land had been acquired for the Dallirajahara-Rowghat rail line project, the Central Government has informed.
It may be recalled that Chhattisgarh Government would also be earmarking suitable land banks in the vicinity of Dallirajahara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur Rail Corridor for setting up of small industrial units, officials informed.
Notably, the Steel Authority of India ltd (SAIl) is co-ordinating the construction of Railay line from DaIlirajhara to Rowghat covering a distance of 95 km with Indian Railways in Chhattisgarh.
The project for doubling of Railway line between Kirandul and Jagdalpur in Chhatisgarh’s insurgency ridden Bastar region is expected to be complete by January 2019, official sources informed.
Notably, NMDC ltd had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union Ministry of Railways on December 21, 2012 and the aforesaid project would be helpful in significantly augmenting evacuation capacity of NMDC’s Bailadila Sector mines by rail from the existing 28 MTPA to 40 MTPA of iron ore.
NMDC had deposited an amount of `150 crores with East Coast Railway and the expenditure incurred as on March 31, 2015 was `132.00 crore, sources informed.
For execution of the project, the Railways has divided the 150 km length of doubling work into three Sections namely, Jagdalpur to Silakjori 45.50 km, Kirandul to Gidam 52.23 km and Silakjori to Gidam 52.73 km.
Notably, the `2,000 crore Rowghat to Jagdalpur railway line would also pass through heavily insurgency infested Kondagaon and Narayanpur districts of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The project is a joint venture between Chhattisgarh government, NMDC, SAIl and IRCON.
The initial stretch of the first phase of the ambitious 235-km-long Dallirajhara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur Railway line project in Bastar division of Chhattisgarh has been completed, officials stated.
In all, 17 km Rail track has been completed in the first phase and Chief Minister Raman Singh has expressed happiness over the achievement, they stated.
A successful trial run of a Railway diesel engine was also carried out between Dallirajhara till Gudum village at the speed of 20 km per hour.
Notably, the development of two key Rail corridors in mineral-rich Chhattisgarh is now set to expand the Railway line network by 45 per cent in the State, officials stated.
The completion of Dallirajhara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur, East and East-West Rail corridor projects will comprise a total of 535 kilometers Railway-line during the next two to four years, they stated.
The East West Rail Corridor project is expected to get completed in 2018-19.
The corridor is to facilitate movement of about 60 million tonnes of coal to various parts of the country apart from providing passenger train facility for the local populace of the region.
The length of the rail track would be 135.30 kms.The Chhattisgarh East West Railway ltd is the implementing agency for the project.
Notably, Coal India ltd (CIl) is putting all its resources together to ensure its flagship subsidiary South Eastern Coalfields ltd (SECl) is able to transport more coal easily to its customers, officials informed.
Notably, the East West Corridor project from Gevra to Pendra in Chhattisgarh with a length of about 122 kms is being executed by Chhattisgarh East West Rail ltd (CEWRl).
CEWRl is a joint venture company formed by South Eastern Coalfields ltd (SECl), IRCON and Chhattisgarh Government.
The project had been undertaken for evacuation of coal from SECl’s Gevra-Korba coalfields.
The Union Ministry of Coal has ensured Coal India ltd (CIl) for getting Mand-Raigarh railway line project expedited to facilitate growth in offtake of coal from mines under South Eastern Coalfields ltd (SECl) in Chhattisgarh.
Notably, the coal requirement for the proposed Super Thermal Plant of NTPC ltd at lara would be met from Talaipalli Coal Block of Mand in Raigarh Coalfields, officials stated.
The lara plant of NTPC would be utilising super critical technology for power generation.
The power to be generated by upcoming project will be supplied to Chhattisgarh , Goa and Maharashtra States, officials stated.
The project is most likely to go on stream by March 2017.