A train carrying coal in North India (Ramesh Pathania/Mint via Getty Images)The Indian Railways has set a target of laying 4,100 km of tracks in financial year 2018-19 that includes 1,000 km of new lines, another 1,000 km of gauge conversion and 2,100 km of track doubling according to Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain, reports The Financial Express. He added that the ministry is meeting with its state level counterparts on a regular basis to solve issues of land acquisition, wild life and forest -clearances, utility lines and law and order.
The Railways’ capacity for taking up newer projects has significantly increased after a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh crore from the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.
The daily rate of commissioning tracks has also gone up 7.75 km per day in 2015-16 to 7.82 km in 2016-17 but went down to 5.1 km per day in 2017-18. The projected rate for 2018-19 is 11.23 km per day.
Simultaneously, public sector undertaking (PSU) Coal India Limited’s (CIL) subsidiary Northern Coalfields will invest Rs 6,000 crore jointly with the railways in laying new tracks as well as double existing tracks in Madhya Pradesh, reports The Economic Times. CIL expects the investment would help them transport and additional 15 million tonnes of coal. There are 11 coal filed in Madhya Pradesh’s Moher Basin operated by Northern Coalfields.
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