Railway Budget: SCR eyes 13% increase in revenues from new proposals

Hailing the Rail Budget as a positive step towards achieving modernisation, South Central Railway (SCR) said the new proposals would help it generate additional revenues in the current financial year.

Describing it as a “practical budget”, SCR general manager PK Srivatsava said empowering the respective Railway Board's in project management would help fast track all major pending projects and speedy implementation of new proposals.

The SCR is currently executing 29 projects totaling Rs 20,680-crore in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Srivatsava said the railway minister's announcement for making use of cash surpluses of public sector undertakings for funding key railway projects was a positive step.

The net plan outlay earmarked for the SCR in the Budget is Rs 1,898-crore for works including doubling of lines, new lines, track renewals, road safety works at level crossings, traffic facilities, signal and telecom, and MMTS.

Srivatsava said owing to Rail Budget allotting 11 new express trains and 15 such in the Interim Budget in February, and the proposed four premium train services passing through the division, revenues this year would be around Rs 13,500-crore, an increase of 13 per cent from Rs 12,000-crore last year.

On setting up of Kazipet wagon facility near Warangal in Telangana, he said the Rs 150-crore project was awaiting land allotment to the tune of 125 acres from the state government.

“Once we get the required land, the project would see implementation,” he said. The project has the potential to generate direct employment for 1,000 individuals.

With respect to running high-speed trains at 160-200 kmph, Hyderabad-Chennai and Secunderabad-Nagpur routes have been identified in the Budget.

Weak monsoon would not hit its revenues and freight volume, he said, adding they were hopeful of reaching 115-120 mt freight target this year, as against 107.5 mt last year.

Srivatsava said the SCR was not pushing the formation of a new rail division from the existing in Andhra Pradesh. Though a committee had been constituted to look into the aspect, he said the move would create operational difficulties for the SCR.

“We don’t need a new zone on having a new state. The committee will look into these issues,” he said.