| Southern Railway would be achieving the annual target of handling 31.4 million tonnes of freight traffic before the end of this fiscal.
|
| |
| Addressing the media here, Southern Railway General Manager, Rakesh Chopra, mentioned that although there was a set back on freight movement in the last few months 19 million tonnes of freight mobilisation had already been achieved.
|
| |
| He attributed the dip due to poor or nil import of foodgrains, overall loading of foodgrains from delta districts, closure of two fertiliser plants in the South etc.
|
| |
| However, in coal and cement segment there were improvements and he was hopeful foodgrain sector would also improve in the remaining months.
|
| |
| During the last year, he said Southern Railway handled 30 million tonnes of freight. Initiatives include running of more special trains, inclusion of additional passenger coaches and wagons to the trains, drastic cut in expenditure front, saving of fuel, and the recovery of used water quantum in railway residential colonies, he added.
|
| |
| Referring to the pending projects, he said that the current year Southern Railway was handling new projects worth Rs 1,000 crore which include gauge conversion works for about 320 kms and doubling the track for a length of 77 kms.
|
| |
| Answering a querry he said that the redressive steps have been taken up to eliminate delays imposed by the contractors and the projects would culminate only with a marginal delay.
|
| |
| To a question on the delay in implementing the Karur-salem new BG line, he said the delay was due to land acquisition and however, the 18 months work schedule will be adhered to.
|
| |
| On rolling stocks, he said that the metre gauge category locomotives were 28 and 320 passenger coaches and 300 goods wagons were in surplus in Southern railway. In southern railway only about 1200 kms length of metre gauge were pending for conversion to broad gauge and that also would be taken up in full complement during the 11th five year plan.
|
| |
| He also pointed out that the modernisation plan for golden rock railway workshop at an outlay of Rs 90 crore is pending with the Railway Board for sanction and immediately on the sanction the implementation would be accomplished within a period of 3 years. |
| |
|
| |
Content Guide
