Suresh Prabhu green-flags goodies train for Maharashtra

It seems those who registered their protests about railway minister Suresh Prabhu having done nothing much for his home state might have shot off their mouths a tad too early. Projects worth a tidy sum of over Rs10,000 crore have been sanctioned for Maharashtra in the budget, with officials claiming that it might be more than what the state has got in a long time.

In keeping with the aim of increasing the safety of operations, the railway ministry has allotted Rs29,993.58 crore for the construction of road overbridges and level-crossing gates.

The costliest plan sanctioned is Rs4,670 crore to double the 467km Pune-Miraj-Londa line. Among the projects is a plan to build a new 112km railway line between Karad and Chiplun at a cost of Rs1,200 crore. A 64km third line between Pune and Lonavala at a cost of Rs800 crore has also been sanctioned, as has a third line of 228km between Nagpur and Rajnandgaon at a cost of Rs1,273 crore.

According to officials, while these projects were long overdue and are essential, it could also be because Vidarbha as well as the Pune region gave the BJP a thumbs-up during the recent assembly elections.

For Mumbai suburban commuters, the budget has given Rs5.1 crore for extension of platform cover at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Byculla, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Mulund and Dombivli to give respite to people waiting for the 15-coach trains.

A sum of Rs23.43 crore has been given for the replacement of foot overbridges at Asangaon, Sewri, Mumbra, Masjid, Bhandup, Dadar and Diva.

An engineering-cum-traffic survey has also been initiated for an additional 65km suburban line on the Virar-Diva-Panvel stretch at a cost of Rs9.75 lakh as well as Rs9 lakh to survey the feasibility of an elevated fast corridor between CST and Panvel.

Maha goodies

New line
Karad-Chiplun: A 112km project at Rs1,200 crore

New line survey
Pune-Nashik: 265km at Rs1.03 crore
Manmad-Indore via Malegaon and Dhule: 339km at Rs1.32 crore
Rotegaon-Puntamba: 27km at Rs4 lakh
Ramtek-Tumsar: 50km at Rs8 lakh
Umarpara-Nandurbar: 110km at Rs17 lakh

Doubling
Pune-Lonavala third line: A 64km project at Rs800 crore
Pune-Miraj-Londa: A 467km project at Rs4,670 crore
Wardha-Ballarshah third line: A 132km project at Rs630 crore
Balance of third line on the Kazipet-Ballarsha section: 202km at Rs2,020 crore
Nagpur-Rajnandgaon third line: 228km at Rs1,273 crore

Doubling survey
Igatpuri-Bhusaval third line: 308km at Rs3.08 crore

Traffic facilities
Extension of platforms 10, 11, 12 and 13 to handle 24-coach trains at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus: Rs57 crore
JNPT yard infrastructure for long haul trains: Rs5.3 crore
Wardha-Chitoda second chord line: Rs15.4 crore
Gaigon yard remodelling: Rs9.36 crore

Passenger amenities
Extension of cover over platforms for 15-car services at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Byculla, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Mulund and Dombivli: Rs5.1 crore
Replacement of foot overbridge at Asangaon, Sewri, Mumbra, Masjid, Bhandup, Dadar, Diva: Rs23.43 crore
Replacement of foot overbridge at Jalgaon and Manmad: Rs5.13 crore and Rs5.71 crore, respectively
Cover over platforms, façade improvement, second entry at Ahmednagar: Rs2.67 crore

Safety works
Road overbridges/under-bridges and level crossing gates: Rs2,993.58 crore

Surveys in progress
Reconnaissance engineering-cum-traffic survey
Extension of Narkher-Badnera new line to Washim via Dhanaj, Karanja, Mangrulpur, 135km: Rs20.25 lakh
New line between Pandharpur and Lonand, 145km: Rs20.55 lakh
Third line on the Itarsi-Nagpur-Wardha-Ballarshah route, 73.8km: Rs54.83 lakh
Additional suburban line on the Virar-Diva-Panvel stretch, 65km: Rs9.75 lakh
New line for provision of fast corridor on Harbour Line between CST and Panvel: Rs9 lakh
New line between Pen and Thal, 26km: Rs3.9 lakh
New line on the Betul-Chandur Bazar-Amravati route, 75km: Rs11.25 lakh
Surajgarh-Bijapur via Bhopalpattanam new line, 300km: Rs45 lakh
New line between proposed Navi Mumbai airport and Thane, 60km: Rs9 lakh
New line between Shirdi and Shahapur Ghoti, 540km: Rs81 lakh
New line between Belapur and Beed, 165km: Rs25 lakh
New line between Pandharpur and Bijapur via Mangalwedha, 125km: Rs18.75 lakh
New line between Pune and Baramati via Saswad-Jejuri-Moregaon, 50km: Rs7.5 lakh
New line on the Miraj-Kawathemahankal-Jath-Bijapur stretch, 122km: Rs18.3 lakh
New line on the Karad-Kadegaon-Lenare-Kharsundi-Attapadi-Diganchi-Mahud-Pandharpur route, 160km: Rs24 lakh
New line between Aurangabad and Chalisgaon, 95km: Rs14.25 lakh
Shani Shinganapur to AHN, 40km: Rs6 lakh

Preliminary engineering-cum-traffic survey
Doubling of Amla-Chhindwara, 115km: Rs44.85 lakh
Kalyan-Karjat third line, 46km: Rs18 lakh
Doubling between Kasara and Igatpuri fourth line, 16km: Rs6.24 lakh
Doubling between Pune and Kolhapur, 326km: Rs1.27 crore
Doubling between Latur Road and Kurduwadi via Latur, Usmanabad, 186km: Rs72.5 lakh
New line on the Ghatnandur-Shrigonda Road/Daund route via Kaij, Manjarsumbha, Patoda and Jankhed, 230km: Rs34.5 lakh
New line between Pune and Ahmednagar via Kedgaon Kasti, 120km: Rs18 lakh
Karjat-Lonavala fourth line, 28km: Rs10.9 lakh
Bhusaval-Badnera-Wardha third line, 314km: Rs1.22 crore

Updating survey
Doubling between Daund and Manmad, 238km: Rs35.7 lakh
New line between Warora and Umrer, 106km: Rs15.9 lakh
New line on the Solapur-Tuljhapur-Usmanabad route, 80km: Rs12 lakh