Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Railways

14-March-2012 14:37 IST

19,000 Km Railway Tracks to be Modernized

During the next five years Ministry of Railways plans to modernize nearly 19000 km track through renewal, upgradation of track, replacement and strengthening of 11,250 bridges to run heavier freight trains of 25 tonne axle load and to achieve passenger train speed of 160 kmph and over, with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 63, 212 crore. The Minister of Railways Shri Dinesh Trivedi introducing the Railway Budget for 2012-13 in Parliament today said, an allocation of Rs. 6,467 crore has been made in the Annual Plan 2012-13, which forms about 11% of the total plan outlay.

The Minister said, with almost 80% of the traffic carried on 40% of the rail network, the high density network (HDN) routes are over-saturated and there is a crying need to upgrade and expand capacity to reduce congestion, provide time for maintenance and improve productivity and safety. This would include progressive shift to flash butt technology for welding of rails, progressive use of 60kg rails instead of 52 kg, provision of thick web switches at points & crossings, mechanized maintenance with the latest track machines and increased frequency of ultrasonic testing of tracks.

****

MKP/AD/DB

Rail infrastructure modernization enabling heavier freight and higher-speed passenger services through targeted upgrades and safety measures. Modernization plan to upgrade 19,000 km of railway track over a five-year horizon to increase capacity, permit heavier freight axle loads and achieve higher passenger speeds through track renewal, bridge strengthening, and targeted infrastructure works. Operational measures focus on High Density Network routes and include adoption of flash butt welding, use of heavier rails, thick web switches, mechanized maintenance, and increased ultrasonic testing to improve safety and reduce congestion.