The year 2019-2020 saw Indian Railways giving a renewed thrust to infrastructure development.
The allocation for capital expenditure of Rs. 1,61,351 in Revised Budget of the year 2019-2020 was 20.1% higher over 2018-2019. Utilization till end of March 2020 was Rs 1,46,507 Crore, which is 90.8% of the total allocation. With a proposed investment of Rs 50 lakh crores until 2030, Budget 2019 laid the road map for Railways to become the growth engine of the country. Some of the important works undertaken during 2019-2020 are –
New Line (NL), Doubling(DL), Gauge Conversion(GC):
New line, Doubling and Gauge conversion commissioning increased to 2,226 km in 2019-20, which is nearly 50% more with reference to average annual commissioning achieved during 2009-14 (1,520 km/year). During 2019-20, the expenditure incurred by Railway on New line, Gauge conversion and Doubling Projects has been Rs 39,836 crore, which is the highest ever expenditure in the history of Indian Railways.
Expenditure by Railway for doubling projects alone in FY 2019-20 is Rs 22,689 crore, which is over 9 times the average annual expenditure during 2009-14 (Rs 2,462 crore). Doubling commissioned in 2019-20 has been 1458 Km, which is nearly 4 times of average annual commissioning achieved during 2009-14 (375 Km/year).
15 Super Critical Projects Commissioned: Railways had prioritized its entire doubling project shelf Super Critical projects based importance of project, status of progress etc. With focused efforts, 15 critical projects of around 562 Km length and costing Rs 5,622 Crore head have been completed & commissioned out of which 13 were commissioned in FY 2019-20.
Commissioning of important North East Projects:
112 Km long New line national project in Tripura, “Agartala–Sabroom” commissioned during FY 2019-20
45 Km long length doubling project from Lumding to Hojai completed & commissioned.
Railway Electrification: In FY year 2019-20, Railway Electrification works have been completed on a total of 5,782 Route KMs, out of which 4,378 Route KMs have been commissioned on electric traction upto 31st March 2020.
Commissioning of Important Projects in FY 2019-20:
Total 28 Projects of 1273 Km length got completed & commissioned during FY 2019-20. Details are given below:
58.5 Km long New Line project from ThaiyatHamira-Sanu in Rajasthan
10.7 Km long bypass line from ChhapraGramin to Khairali in Bihar
67.07 Km long New Line project from Rajgir-Hisua-Tilaiya including Islampur-Nateshar in Bihar
47.72 Km long Super Critical Doubling Project from Hajipur-Ramdayalu Nagar in Bihar
320.04 Km long Gauge Conversion Project from Jaipur-Ringus-Sikar-Churu& Sikar-Loharu in Haryana and Rajasthan
7 Km long pending Super Critical Doubling project in Delhi (7 Km length but very important to decongest New Delhi Station) between New Delhi to Tilak Bridge (5th& 6th line)
113 Km long New Line Port connectivity project in Andhra Pradesh connecting with Krishnapatnam port
55.47 Km long Doubling from Meerut-Muzaffarnagar in U.P
2 Km long Bypass line named Jukhei Chord line, bypassing the Katni yard in Madhya Pradesh
1.67 Km long doubling project named New Alipore-Mile 5B in Sub-urban area of Sealdah of West Bengal
1.025 Km long pending bypass connectivity line named Daund Chord line on Daund-Manmad route in Maharashtra
42.57 Km long New Line Coal Project from Kharsia-Korichhapar in Chhattisgarh
19 Km long Coal project named Bakhtiyarpur-Barh in Bihar for facilitating the coal movement to Barh NTPC Thermal Power H
7.25 Km long Super Critical Doubling project from Andul-Baltikuri in West Bengal
26 Km long Doubling project from Abu Road to SwaroopGanj in Rajasthan
23.55 Km long Super Critical Doubling project from Abu Road to Sarotra Road in Rajasthan
2.86 Km long Super Critical Doubling project from Mohishilla-Kalipahari in West Bengal
51.07 Km long Super Critical Doubling project from Pirpainti-Bhagalpur in Bihar
2.62 Km long 4th line project named Kanknara-Naihati in West Bengal
60.37 Km long Super Critical Doubling project in Rajasthan
81.43 Km long Super Critical Doubling project in Maharashtra named Mudkhed-Parbhani
7 Km long Doubling project in Madhya Pradesh named Sontalai-Bagratawa
25 Km long Super Critical Doubling project in Madhya Pradesh named Itarsi-Budhni
8 Km long Super Critical Doubling project in UP named Billi – Chopan.
34 Km long Super Critical 4th line Doubling project in Haryana and Delhi named Tuglakabad – Palwal
41 Km long Super Critical Doubling project in Andhra Pradesh named Kaluru – Guntakal
44.92 Km long Super Critical Doubling project from Lumding to Hojai in Assam