NEW Delhi (Metro Rail News): Plans are underway for the Indian Railways to invest Rs 7 Trillion for track laying spanning 50,000 kilometres to facilitate upcoming modern trains.
Track laying Plans
This impetus to the track laying program is one of the core initiatives of the Vision Document 2047 furnished by Indian Railways. The document discusses laying 100,000 kilometres of new alignment, including replacement and doubling, and gauge conversion works to be achieved in the coming 25 years, costing Rs 15-20 Trillion.
This impetus is based on the success that the national transporter has achieved so far regarding its efficiency and productivity.
Record So far
Indian Railways has laid down 5,200 Kilometers of track so far in the year 2022-23, and it aspires to step up from this milestone and continue with the ground-breaking performance for the coming 8-10 years. The focus is replacing worn-out tracks to present a robust infrastructure capable of handling the increasing passenger traffic and modern technology trains.
Budgetary allocation
A sum of about Rs 50,000 Crore can be expected to be allocated for track laying in the upcoming budget to lay about 5,000-5,500 km of tracks, taking the increase in budget allocation to more than 50% from the FY24 budget estimate of ₹31,850 crore for new lines.
Per Km Cost
As per the current estimates, it takes about Rs 15 Crore per kilometre of tracks. It is determined by variables like the price of steel and the availability of land for laying. Such tracks will facilitate high-speed and semi-high-speed trains.
Annual Ridership
The emphasis on expanding the railway network aligns with the anticipated increase in train traffic, encompassing both passenger and freight services. A study conducted by the railway ministry indicates that the current annual ridership of over 8 billion people is expected to reach 80 billion by 2030, necessitating a corresponding expansion in capacity.
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