Projects get big boost

Land banks to be put to productive use.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is extending the coverage of the freight corridor network to south India, by planning new routes and providing for Rs 1,880 crore for the current year, more than double the amount spent last year. Pre-feasibility studies for the Chennai-Goa corridor have already been conducted. Further steps would be taken in this regard.

The budget estimate is, however, much lower than the Rs 2,979 crore provided in February’s interim rail budget.

The railways also plan to develop industrial corridors along the Eastern and Western freight corridor routes. Such industrial corridors would comprise industrial hubs, logistics parks and mega power plants to be erected through public private partnership. The railways propose to put their land banks to productive use, to avoid increase in cost and to help in early start of industrial projects.

To catalyse industrial development in this corridor, investments have been proposed in rolling stock production and assembly facilities and coach rehabilitation at Dankuni, Majerhat and Naopara in this region along the Eastern corridor. This will lay the foundation for a rail-based industrial cluster in the Eastern Industrial corridor, drawing upon inherent advantages of proximity to coal and ore mines, large workforce and metal works market.

The dedicated freight corridor projects on the Western and Eastern routes have been christened the ‘Diamond Rail Corridors’. An expert committee would be set up to ensure the project is done in a time-bound and cost-effective manner.

The Western corridor that connects Delhi to Mumbai covers UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and West Bengal, while the Eastern corridor will run from Ludhiana to Kolkata via Dankuni, covering Punjab, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.