Railways proposes to complete over 550 kms of new lines in eight sections, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced on Friday.
Presenting the Rail Budget for 2006-07, he said the new lines are Bikramganj-Sasaram, Muzaffarpur-Sitamarhi, Keojhar-Daitari, Sakri-Biraul, Manu-Agartala, Hathua-Bathua Bazar, Udhampur-Katra, Qazignd-Badgam and Karimnagar-Jagityal.
With the completion of these sections, the new line projects of Ara-Sasaram, Muzaffarpur-Sitarmarhi, Daitari-Banaspani and Kumarghat-Agartala would be fully completed, he said.
Lalu said during the year Railways targets to complete over 1100 kms in 14 sections. These are Jayanagar-Darbhanga, Senchoa-Silghat, Katihar-Barsoi, Ajmer-Chhitaurgarh, Kinvat-Mudkhed, Sonamukhi- Rainagar, Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur, Attur-Salem, Mailaduturai- Villupuram, Puddukotai-Karaikudi, Basavanabagewadi-Bagalkot, Mysore-Chamrajnagar, Neemuch-Ratlam and Samakhiali-Gandhidham.
The target for doubling of railway lines has been fixed at 435 kms to add line capacity on certain congested routes. The doubling of Patna-Gaya line would be speeded up so as to compete it in the next two years, he said.
On railway electrification, Lalu said against the Tenth Five-Year plan target of 1800 route kms, 1280 kms would be completed by the end of the coming year.
He said electrification of the Chennai-Kolkata route of the golden quadrilateral has been completed and electric train services have been introduced.
By the end of the financial year electrification of Ernakulam-Tiruvananthapuram section would also be completed.
A feasibility study would be carried out for Ggonda-Gorakhpur-Chhapra-Barauni-Katihar-Guwahati rail route, the minister said.
Lalu said survey for 23 new lines would be taken up this year, adding survey for doubling of eight more lines would be conducted.
More from rediff