New Delhi:As many as 50 "supercritical" railway projects, having national importance in Jammu-Kashmir and in the Northeast region, are being pending for over a decade. Railways is all set to complete these projects by 2023, informed a Railway Ministry official, on Friday.
While briefing the media, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said, "The priority of railways in the next five years is to complete it's remaining 50 supercritical projects, augmenting capacity in order to introduce 1,500 new trains and wrap up its projects of national importance. Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) is at the top of this list and right now our full focus is upon that."
The 161km section of this project has been commissioned at a cost or ₹6,000 crores, while the rest of the money will be commissioned by 2022. The total cost of this project is estimated to be ₹27,949 crores.
Earlier, this project was estimated to be completed by 2020. Yadav explained that the reason of delay in this project was due to land acquisition issues and litigations against the project, while difficult terrain is also an important challenge.
He also said that seven of the 58 super critical projects at the congested routes have been completed in 2019, while one was already done in 2018. Hence the remaining 50 will be wrapped up till March 2023.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to inaugurate the third corporate passenger train, Kashi Mahakal Express, from Varanasi on 16th of February, said Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav, on Friday.
This train will connect religious places of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, covering three Jyotirlinga-Omkareshwar, Mahakaleshwar and Kashi Vishwanath.
Railways long-pending projects to be completed by 2023: official
Railways all set to complete as many as fifty 'supercritical' projects in the next five years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to inaugurate the third corporate passenger train, Kashi Mahakal Express, from Varanasi on 16th of February.
Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav
Railways long-pending projects to be completed by 2023
While running via Prayagraj, it will departure at 15:15 on Sunday and will reach 09:40 am on Monday. While on its return journey, the train will departure at 10:55 on Monday and will reach it's destination at 05:00 am on Tuesday.
While running via Lucknow, the train will departure at 14:45 on Tuesday and Thursday, and will arrive it's destination at 09:40 on Wednesday and Friday respectively.
On its return journey, the train will departure at 10:55 on Wednesday and Friday, and will reach it's Destination at 06:00 on Thursday and Saturday respectively.