Up
Highlights Part I(a)
Highlights Part I(b)
Highlights Part I(c)
Highlights Part II
Speech Part I(a)
Speech Part I(b)
Speech Part I(c)
Speech Part I(d)
Speech Part II
Budget at a glanceBudget 1998-99
Budget 1997-98
Budget 1996-97
Home |
Speech of Shri Nitish Kumar
Introducing the Railway Budget, 1999-2000
on 25th February 1999 - Part III
New Lines
 | I am happy to state that the Railways, despite limited resources, have
completed construction of the 174 km Talcher-Sambalpur line. Along with this, we have
completed the Panihar-Khajuri section of Guna-Etawah line completing the link between
Gwalior and Guna. |
| However, the work on the Goalpara-Guwahati line which was targeted for
completion in this financial year has been affected by the adverse law and order situation
and will now be completed in the coming financial year. |
| New line projects, included in the 1999-2000 Budget are :-
 | New Line project from Agra to Etawah via Fatehabad and Bah |
| Kakinada to Pithapuram new line, to be taken up after obtaining the
requisite clearances. |
|
| During the year 1999-2000, the railways expect to complete the following
sections of new line projects :-
| Section Km |
| Kashinagar-Kakdweep 3 |
| Bongaon-Petrapole 8 |
| Goalpara-Kamakhaya 124 |
| Peddpally-Karimnagar 35 |
| Jaruri-Banspani 11 |
| Kapadvanj-Modasa 60 |
| Total 241 |
|
| In order to expedite progress on the Qazigund-Baramulla line in the State
of Jammu and Kashmir, it has been decided, with the approval of the Cabinet Committee on
Economic Affairs (CCEA), to get the work executed through M/s IRCON International. |
Gauge Conversion
| In 1998-99, the Railways have completed the gauge conversion of the
following sections :-
| Tambaram-Tiruchchirappalli |
| Tiruchchirappalli-Dindigul |
| Shivsagar-Moranhat |
| Mariani-Jorhat |
|
|
|
| Further, during the remaining part of the financial year, we hope to
complete the gauge conversion of following sections:
| Narkatiaganj-Gorakhpur |
| Babupet-Balarshah |
| Solapur-Hotgi |
| Indara-Phephana |
|
| During the year 1999-2000, the railways expect to complete 541 km of
gauge conversion projects as detailed below :-
| Section Km |
| Pandharpur-Kurduwadi 52 |
| Nonera-Seoni 27 |
| Kashipur-Lalkuan 60 |
| Mudkhed-Adilabad 162 |
| Arakkonam-Chengalpattu 63 |
| Yellahanka-Yeshwantpur 17 |
| Lakshman Tirtha bridge diversion on Mysore-Hassan line 1 |
| Morbi to Maliya-Miyana and Dahisara to Navlakhi 68 |
| Dharangdhara-Kuda 33 |
| Gandhidham-Bhuj 58 |
| Total 541 |
|
| Sir, it is proposed to take up the gauge conversion of the following
sections, the work on which would be started after obtaining the requisite clearances :-
| Kaptanganj-Thave-Sivan-Chapra |
| Salem-Viddhachelam-Cuddalore |
|
Doubling
| In 1998-99, the Railways will complete about 280 km of doubling projects.
In 1999-2000, another 290 km on various sections of on-going
works are likely to be doubled. |
| Hon'ble Members will be happy to know that in order to improve the flow
of the growing traffic and to generate additional capacity on some saturated sections, the
following new doubling works have been included in the Budget :-
| Mathura-Bhuteswar (Third line) |
| Punpun to Taregana |
| Amroha-Moradabad |
| Dayabasti, Grade Separator |
| Chapra-Hajipur |
| Karpurigram-Siho |
| Ernakulam Jn-Ernakulam marshalling yard |
| Rajatgarh to Barang |
| Diva-Kalyan (Fifth and Sixth line) |
| Attipattu-Korukakkupettai (Third line) |
|
|
|
Suburban Transport Projects
| I am happy to inform the House, that our efforts with regard to Mumbai
Metropolitan Transport Project have succeeded and we have received the approval of the
Cabinet for setting up of the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC). |
| As far as the on-going projects are concerned, in New Mumbai the doubling
of Belapur-Panvel line and construction of Thane-Turbhe-Nerul-Vashi Suburban corridor are
progressing satisfactorily. In Mumbai, the work of Santacruz-Borivali fifth line is also
progressing well. The work of second phase of the fifth and sixth lines between
Kurla-Thane will be started as soon as necessary clearances are received. |
| It gives me pleasure to inform the House, that in the metropolitan city
of Calcutta, we have decided to extend the construction of Metro Rail from Tolleyganj to
Garia. In addition, we have included in this Budget the single line connection of Princep
Ghat to Majerhat, thus completing the full ring of Calcutta Circular Railway. A survey has
also been undertaken for doubling and electrification of this route. The work of
electrification of Dum Dum to Tala is already in progress. |
| As regards Chennai, the work of Mass Rapid Transit System, Phase II,
between Thirumailai and Velacheri is progressing satisfactorily. In the metropolitan city
of Delhi, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has started work on Phase I of Mass Rapid
Transit System. |
Railway Electrification
| In the 9th Five Year Plan, the Railways have planned Electrification of
2300 route km out of which 445 route km have been completed in
1997-98 and we hope to complete another 500 route km in the current financial year. In the
year 1999-2000, an outlay of Rs. 350 cr has been provided for Railway Electrification and
a target of electrifying 500 route km has been kept. |
| Sir, I am happy to inform the House that the following sections have been
included in the Budget for taking up Electrification. The work on these projects would be
taken up after obtaining the requisite clearances.
| Ernakulam-Tiruvananthapuram |
| Mughalsarai-Zafrabad (as the first phase of Mughalsarai-Lucknow via
Sultanpur) |
| Patna-Gaya |
| Tambaram-Chengalpattu-Villupuram |
| Chengalpattu-Arakkonam |
|
|
|
Surveys
| On the basis of the requests received from the Hon’ble Members and
State Governments, I have decided to take up several surveys in the Budget for 1999-2000. |
| The following surveys for New Lines are being taken up :-
| To bring Talcher station on Cuttack-Talcher-Sambalpur line |
| Agartala to Akhaura |
| Almatti to Yadgir |
| Anupgarh to Bikaner |
| Badlaghat-Alamnagar-Bhawanipur-Purnea-Dalkhola |
| Bakreshwar to Siuri |
| Bisrampur to Jabalpur |
| Chatra to Tori |
| Dahanu road to Nasik |
| Gaya to Daltanganj via Guraru, Gurva, Sherghat and Imamganj |
| Jabalpur to Panna via Damoh |
| Jaisalmer to Kandla |
| Punalur to Erumeli |
| Khandwa to Nardana via Khargone, Sendhwa |
| Murshidabad to Kandi via Khagraghat and Behrampur |
| Nagapattinam to Velankani |
| Ramganj Mandi to Bhopal via Jhalawar, Aklera, Khilchipur, Rajgarh,
Biavra, Narsingarh |
| Rohtak to Hissar via Meham and Hansi |
| Tindivanam to Cuddalore via Pondicherry |
| Patna By-pass line |
| Kovvur-Bhadrachalam Road |
| Parli Vaijnath to Ghatandur (for regrading) |
| Umrer to Nagpur via Khaperkeda and Koradi |
| Makum to Saikhova Ghat |
|
| Surveys for gauge conversion of the following lines are being taken up :
-
| Bardhaman-Katwa |
| Aunrihar-Jaunpur |
| Mehasana-Taranga Hill |
| Pilibhit-Sahajahanpur |
| Wansjalia-Jetalsar |
| Tiruchirapalli-Karaikudi-Manamadurai |
|
|
|
| Surveys for doubling the following lines are being taken up :-
| Lalgola-Krishnanagar with electrification |
| Renigunta to Tirupati |
| Baruipur-Lakshmikantpur |
| Daund-Manmad with electrification |
| Seoraphuli-Tarakeswar |
| Konkan Railway Corporation |
|
| Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) is operating seven pairs of passenger
trains including the Kurla-Mangalore Express and the Trivandrum Rajdhani Express. Freight
operations, however, have been on a somewhat lower level than what the KRC can handle. The
overall depression in freight movement on the Indian Railways has affected Konkan Railway
also. Consequently, the financial results forecast of Konkan Railway for the current year
are less than expected. KRC is, however, exploring every means of augmenting its services
and revenues. In this context they have planned to introduce "Konkan Star
Service" with modern facilities for passengers and "Roll-on-Roll-off"
freight services, under which loaded goods trucks are carried to destinations. |
| Any new line project has to take a reasonable time for realising its full
potential. In the case of new lines funded by the General Exchequer, the payment of
dividend is deferred for a period up to five years after opening. Konkan Railway
Corporation has been built mostly with funds borrowed from the market and has to discharge
its debt service obligations from the beginning. The organisation, therefore, definitely
needs help. I would like to assure the House that the Ministry of Railways would provide
adequate assistance to Konkan Railway, operationally and financially, so that it can grow
as a strong limb of the Railway network. |
Production Units
| During 1997-98 all production units have achieved their targets.
Chittaranjan Locomotive Works and Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi, manufactured 165
electric and 164 diesel locomotives respectively. Integral Coach Factory, Perumbur
manufactured 1,010 coaches. Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, manufactured 1,031 coaches.
Diesel Component Works, Patiala, rebuilt 74 locomotives and Wheel and Axle Plant,
Bangalore, manufactured 92,015 wheels and 52,249 axles, which is an all time record. |
| During 1998-99, the work is going on smoothly in all Production Units and
it is expected that they would be able to achieve their targets. |
Public Sector Undertakings
| Hon'ble Members will be happy to know that the performance of the Public
Sector Undertakings had been satisfactory during the year 1997-98. IRCON International
Ltd. (IRCON), earned a profit of Rs. 50.30 cr along with foreign exchange earnings of Rs.
43.40 cr. The company has completed projects in Malaysia, Bangladesh and Nepal. Container
Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR) had a turnover of Rs. 627 cr. and earned a net profit
of Rs.115 cr. In November, 1998, Government of India earned Rs. 225 cr by selling 90 lakh
shares of CONCOR. Indian Railway Finance Corporation Ltd. (IRFC) earned a net profit of
Rs. 167 cr. It mobilised a total of Rs. 2,558 cr in domestic and international markets in
1997-98 to supplement the plan resources of Indian Railways. Rail India Technical &
Economics Services Ltd. (RITES) achieved a turnover of Rs. 133 cr with a net profit of Rs.
14.55 cr. Indian Railways received a total dividend of around Rs. 60 cr in 1997-98 from
all its Public Sector Undertakings. |
Research, Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO)
| RDSO is the research and designs wing of the Indian Railways. It
functions as the consultant to the Indian Railways in technical matters. RDSO have
developed the cost effective "Universal Emergency Communication System (UECS)"
to enhance safety, which will provide instant communication between the driver, guard and
the nearest station. Apart from this, they have developed a dual voltage three-phase drive
EMU design to maintain uninterrupted EMU services in Mumbai area, during conversion of
traction system from 1500 volt DC to 25 KV AC. |
|
|
