Railways to earn Rs 20,000 crore profit in 2006-07: Lalu

Chhapra (Bihar), Nov 18 (UNI) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today said that railway had fixed a target of earning profit of Rs 20,000 crore during the financial year 2006-07.

Addressing an inaugural funcion of Tenua Dumri Halt, Mr Prasad said railways had already earned profit of Rs 13,500 crore so far during the current financial year and exuded confidence that the target would be achieved by the end of the financial year.

He announced that metre gauge railway line of Chhapra-Thawe section would be converted into broad gauge and said that construction work of railway-cum-road bridge was on between Sonepur and Digha and it would be completed by 2009.

The total expenditure of Rs 392 crore would be incurred on the Sonepur-Digha rail-cum-road bridge, he added.

Mr Prasad said marketing outlets would be opened at more than 7500 railway stations across the country, which would enable the farmers to sell their perishable products.

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