Over Rs 1 Lakh Crore Worth Infrastructure Projects On The Fast Track in Railway Sector

In a massive boost to mobility, Indian Railways is executing many key projects worth over Rs 1,15,000 crore involving multi-tracking, electrification and signalling to create additional capacity for running more passenger and freight trains.

Crucial for capacity enhancement, most of the key projects are being implemented on a mission mode in States like Assam, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.

Based on traffic density, type of commodity moved, importance of route from strategic considerations, the projects requiring urgent expansion including those which are already progressing well have been categorised as super critical projects and the projects requiring completion in the next stage have been defined as critical projects.

All are civil projects which include electrification and signalling works also.

The Railways has identified 58 super critical projects of a total length of 3750 km costing Rs 39,663 crore. Out of the total 58 super critical projects, 27 projects will be completed by December 2021, while the remaining two projects will be handed over by March 2022.

Most of the Railways' traffic moves on the Golden Quadrilateral, High Density Network routes and Highly Utilized Network routes of the Indian rail network. The high density and highly utilised network routes constitute 51 per cent route length of the total rail network of the country but carries 96 per cent of traffic.

By focussed funding and continuous monitoring these projects are targeted for early completion to reap the benefits of investment. On completion these projects will improve mobility, safety and create additional capacity for running more passenger and freight trains on these saturated and busy routes.

Higher priority has been given in allocation of budget for these identified projects for early completion. As many as 58 super critical projects of multi-tracking involve doubling/3rd line/4th line on busy routes.

With the completion of these projects, the Railways will be able to move more traffic at faster speeds with safety on these dense/saturated/busy traffic routes.

Till now, 29 projects of a total length 1,044 Km costing Rs 11,588 crore have been commissioned, 27 projects will be completed by December 2021 and the balance two projects by March 2022.

As many as 68 critical projects of a total length 6,913 km costing Rs 75,736 crore have been identified and out of these, four projects of 108 Km length costing Rs 1,408 crore have been completed till date and balance projects are targeted to be completed by March 2024.

According to the Railways, nearly Rs 38,000 crore has been spent till March on 68 critical projects out of which four projects have been completed till now.

The national transporter has commissioned 1,614 Km doubling/3rd/4th line during FY 2020-21 and 133 km doubling/3rd line till now during FY 2021-22 despite the pandemic.

As many as 29 super critical projects of a total length 1,044 Km costing Rs 11,588 crore got commissioned in the last one year.

Despite Covid challenges, Indian Railways is going on rapidly to complete the projects which are vital for increasing the capacity of tracks.