Railway Min to finalise modernisation policy in four mnths

Railway Ministry was expected to finalise in four months its policy on modernisation of railway stations to bring their standard to international level, Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa said today.

The project envisaging upgradation of some of the Railway stations could not be taken up for various reasons, including massive cost involved, he told reporters here.

He said the Railways was working out on how to ensure return on such investments.

Muniyappa said his ministry was contemplating taking up Bangalore-Chennai Golden Rail Corridor project with foreign assistance.

Under the project, the Railways plan to run super fast trains with about 160 kms to 200 kms speed per hour to reduce the travelling time between these two cities, he said.

He said there were also plans to implement a dedicated freight corridor project in South.

Muniyappa outlined the railway projects sanctioned to Karnataka, his home state, and said the work on these projects would commence as soon as the state government provided the requrired land.

"Land is the main constraint. There is no problem with money. The state government has been providing funds on cost sharing basis", Muniyappa said.