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.