• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• Business Line
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Our Bureau

Kolkata , Nov. 3

THE budget exercise for new rail projects seems to have already begun. As many as 31 on-going railway projects in West Bengal, under both Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway, are expected to get a major fillip in the forthcoming Railway Budget to be presented by the Union Railway Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Restoration of abandoned lines, particularly linking North Bengal with the other parts of the State, may also be considered.

Addressing newspersons here on Wednesday, Mr Basudeb Acharia, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways (for 2004), said the committee, after detailed discussions with officials of both the zonal railways and other officials concerned, had decided to recommend to the Union Government and the Rail Ministry for fund allocations for all important sanctioned railway projects in the State in the next Railway Budget.

Some of the committee recommendations are also being placed before the ministry for inclusion in the December Supplementary Rail Budget.

The MPs' panel called for total planning to speed up the projects. The new rail terminal projects in Shalimar and Chitpore are also expected to pick up steam. The Majerhat coaching terminal project, long identified, is also going to be pushed for early sanction.

Asked on the progress so far, Mr Acharia said a dialogue with the State Government had to be initiated by the rail authorities, as the main problem with regard to the proposed new terminals was over dispersal of traffic. Mr Acharia said the proposals with regard to the new terminals were conceived in the 80s.

He said they were also going to press the Railway Board for speedy completion of key projects that have been languishing for a long time.

He said the committee would also seek urgent rail connectivity with the Haldia port through a double-lining project, as cargo at the port was now piling because of the single line. Mr Acharia informed that only a portion of the double line project had received financial sanction so far.

He said the small portion of gauge conversion projects (such as Bardhaman-Katwa), survey for which have been ordered, would also be posed before the ministry for fund allocation in the 2005-06 Railway Budget proposals. He said these projects should be taken up and completed before 2012.

Mr Acharia also informed that the much-awaited Tamluk-Digha rail link would happen in January. He said CRS certificate for the Eklakhi-Balurghat link had been received.

The committee members held detailed discussions with the Himalayan Heritage Railway authorities in Darjeeling recently.

The team members are expected to visit all existing station sites such as Howrah and Sealdah, and also check on the work progress at the Metro Rail extension at Garia on Thursday.

More Stories on : Railways | Other States

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
IA launches discount scheme for biz class

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line