The South East Central Railway (SECR) has put the Bilaspur-Jharsuguda fourth  railway line project on fast track .

The Central Government has offered a budget grant of Rs2202 crores for laying new railway tracks in the South East Central Railway (SECR) zone during financial year 2018-19, officials informed.

As many as five new railway line and six track doubling projects are in different stages of execution which fall partly or fully in the State of Chhattisgarh, the Union Railway Ministry has informed.

Therefore, 19 projects of new lines and double tracks having a total cost of Rs23,710 crore are in different stages of execution which fall partly or fully in the State of Chhattisgarh. The aggregate length of these projects is around Rs2,742 Km.

The project of new railway line with electrification  from Katghora- Mungeli-Kawardha-Khairagarh-Dongargarh Corridor (255 km) besides Katghora to Kartala (22 km) will be implemented at a total cost of Rs4821 crore which is being developed by  Chhattisgarh Railway Corporation Limited (CRCL), a Joint Venture Company of Ministry of Railways and Government of Chhattisgarh.

On the other hand, the Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd (CERL) and Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd (CEWRL) have sought forest land diversion of 26.52 hectares in Raigarh district for laying railway track in the East Rail Corridor from Kharsia to Gurda and Ghargoda to Gare Pelma in Raigarh district to be used for freight and passenger service, officials informed.

The Proposed rail corridor is being planned in view of very high increase in coal movement and anticipated increase due to construction of thermal power plants in north-west and central India and to facilitate movement of passengers resulting in development of area.

An ‘Addendum and Corrigendum’ to the Concession Agreement between South East Central Railway (SECR) and Chhattisgarh East Railway Limited (CERL) for Phase-I of East Rail Corridor project has been signed on March 21, 2017, officials informed.

The concession agreement between SECR and  CERL was signed on June 12, 2015. However, due to better operational issues, the project now includes feeder lines to ensure end to end connectivity from coal mines to end user’s premises.

This is considered to be a significant milestone in ensuring faster implementation of the East Rail Corridor Phase-I project which will also ensure availability of Rail system to the remote villages of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh.