A total of 83 track renewals have been completed so far against the target of 161 under the jurisdiction of South East Central Railway (SECR) in the current financial year, the Railway Ministry has informed.
Track renewal is an ongoing process which is undertaken as and when a stretch of track becomes due for renewal on age/condition basis. Track Renewal works are planned in advance every year and their execution is prioritized according to the condition of track ensuring all the time that track is in a sound condition for safe running of trains.
In case any stretch of track is not renewed in time due to various reasons, suitable speed restrictions, if required, are imposed to ensure safe running of trains. As on April 1, 2017, track renewal covering 7546 km is sanctioned out of which 3600 km is targeted for the year 2017-18 in the country. Normally, track renewal works are completed in two to three years of sanction, the Government informed.
Replacement of all lever frames and Semaphore Signalling system with Electronic/Panel/Route Relay Interlocking (EI/PI/RRI) system and Multiple Aspect Colour Light Signalling (MACLS) are progressively being done on age cum condition basis. A total 235 Nos. of stations are remaining with Semaphore Signals as on March 31, 2017. These are likely to be replaced with MACLS with EI/PI/RRI in next three years.
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% 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.
Further, to expedite electrification of railway lines in the country, various steps have been taken, which inter-alia include award of Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts, better project monitoring mechanism, enhancing power of field units for award of contracts including sanction of estimates and increasing the number of executing agencies from existing three to six by entrusting electrification works to new agencies viz. Indian Railway Construction Company, Rail India Technical and Economic Services ad Power Grid Corporation of India Limited.
Notably, the Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) each with the States of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for critical coal connectivity projects to improve transportation .
Agreement for World Bank loan of US $ 1100 million for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) (Phase-2) have also been signed, they stated.
Freight train with speed of maximum 100 kms per hour will pass through Chhattisgarh in the East-West Corridor (Kolkata-Mumbai).
The train will traverse through the States of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra as the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned implementation of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) and Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) with freight train speeds of maximum 100 Kmph.
The Central government’s approval for construction of 165 km long third railway line between Anuppur and Katni in Madhya Pradesh is expected to facilitate additional coal transportation traffic from parts of Chhattisgarh.
The coal transporation traffic from IB valley, Korba area, East Corridor and Gevra – Pendra Road Project in Chhattisgarh would be channelized through the aforesaid route to the respective destinations, officials stated.
The Centre has approved the project at a cost of Rs 1595.76 crore. The project is likely to be completed in 5 ¼ years spanning over 12th and 13th plan period.
The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has also approved construction of six Railway lines and a Railway bridge to cater to both increased passenger and freight needs in various areas of the country.
Public sector IRCON International Ltd has also commenced work in connection with the construction of new ‘Broad Guage Electrified Double Railway Line’ in Chhattisgarh on the East West Corridor.
The work is being undertaken in Gevra Road-Pendra Road and Dipka, Kathghora, Sendurgahr and Pasan sections, officials stated.
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.