SCR to chug on electricity

The entire rail network of South Central Railways (SCR) will get electrified, except Bidar and Gulbarga, according to the Rail budget for South Central Railway. A total of 1,261 kilometres have got sanction for electrification in 2018-19.

Instead of giving priority to the new railway projects, this year, the major allocation of the railway budget is for on-going projects.

“The government has given more priority for the completion of ongoing projects, including new railway line works, electrification, doubling, tripling of railway line projects, safety related works etc. The high allocation will enable in completing the above five projects in all respects,” said general manager South Central Railways Vinod Kumar Yadav on Tuesday.

Addressing the media at Rail Nilayam the other day, Vinod Kumar had said that special emphasis has been given to safety.

For road safety works such as over and under bridges, the budget allocation grant is 23 per cent more than that in 2017-18. “`400 crores has been allocated for safety now while it was `325.4 crores for 2017-18.’’

In AP, 12 new rail overbridges (ROBs) and 15 road under bridges and subways at a cost of `703 crores with railway’s share of `310 crores and state share of `393 crores have been sanctioned. Two new ROBs and 9 road under bridges and subways will be built at a cost of `195.37 crores with railway’s share of `73.14 crores and state’s share of `122.22 crores in TS.

To enhance the safety in level crossings, an amount of `72.32 crores has been allotted as against `69.53 crores for 2017-18 which is 4 per cent more.

To improve safety at busy level crossing gates, inter-locking works have been sanctioned for 12 level crossing gates this year.