Jharkhand has received 11.53 per cent more than previous year in Railway Budget presented by acting Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on February 1. DRM Ranchi, VK Gupta, today highlighted the provisions of this year’s Railway Budget for Jharkhand. The total outlay for Jharkhand this year is Rs 2,427.602 crore in comparison to Rs 2,176.529 crore last year, which is a hike of 11.53 per cent.
The total outlay for Ranchi Division is Rs 301.176 crore, which is more than 10.71 per cent from last year. The budgetary allocation for Ranchi Division last year was Rs 272.036 crore. Gupta claimed that total outlay for new line, gauge conversion and doubling of railway line in Jharkhand is Rs 1,481.81 crore which is 14.27 per cent higher than last year (Rs 1,296.76 crore).
Gupta said, “The total outlay for track renewal is Rs 532.42 crore, which is 134.56 percent higher than last year (Rs 226.90 crore).” He claimed that there has been budgetary provisions for various railway projects which includes doubling/third line of Lodhma-Piska, Bondamunda-Ranchi doubling (158.50 km) for which there has been budgetary provision of Rs 190 crore, for Manohar-Bondamunda third line (30 km), Rs 40 crore has been sanctioned.
Similarly, in the Adityapur-Kharagpur third line which is 132 km long for doubling of the track Rs 224 crore has been sanctioned.
The DRM also highlighted the future plan, which will be taken in the next fiscal and the budgetary provisions made. Some of the plans include commissioned of Boda station between Tori and Barkichapi.
For Ranchi railway station re-development Rs 13.64 crore has been sanctioned. Under the project six escalators will be constructed and for which the Ranchi railway division has sent the proposal to railway board.
Similarly, Airport type lighting to be commissioned by March 2019 in Ranchi station.
Gupta said: “The future plans also include speed raising on various sections, which includes Hatia-Orga, Ranchi-Lohardaga, Lohardaga-Barkichapi and Barkichapi-Tori section.
Similarly, speed raising has also been taken up in Hatia-Muri and Muri-Barkakhana section.” Project Utkrist will be introduced in the both rakes of Howrah-Ranchi intercity Express from March 2019 for which Rs 1.15 crore has been sanctioned. Under the project Utkrist, the express train will be given new look with the focus on increasing the infrastructure.
Apart from Project Utkrist, the total outlay for passengers amenities work for Jharkhand is Rs 49.37 crore including the grant for new passenger amenities work. Outlay for passenger amenities in Jharkhand is 53 percent higher than last year.