ECR plans to spend Rs 800 crore for expansion

Patna, July 7: East Central Railways (ECR) has earmarked Rs 800 crore during the current fiscal for laying new tracks and conversion of gauge under its jurisdiction, besides improving the passenger amenities.

ECR sources here today said under this programme about 145 km long new tracks would be laid in different areas of all the five divisions of ECR comprising Danapur, Dhanbad, Sonepur, Samastipur and Mughalsari, while conversion of railway lines from metre gauge to broad gauge would be undertaken in about 85 km area by March next.

Regarding the proposals to improve the passenger amenities in the Railway, the sources said following yesterday's meeting between the Chairman of All India Railway Passenger Amenities Committee (AIPAC) and a former Bihar minister, Mohammad Illias Hossain and ECR General Manager Girish Bhatnagar, wehre it was decided to ensure comfortable journey even for local train passengers by converting the wooden seats into cusioned ones in every train compartment soon.

This apart, it was decided to convert as many as 54 stations under ECR into 'model stations' and gradually upgrading 47 others into 'modern stations' during the next few months, the sources said adding that among the proposed model stations maximum 19 would come up under Danapur division, followed by 11 under Samastipur, nine each under Sonepur and Dhabad and six under Mughalsarai division.

The meeting also decided to put more stress on regular cleanliness drive at all stations under ECR, and creation of special facilities for physically challenged people at all stations, the sources said.

A special monitoring cell had been created with senior railway officials for timely implementation of the development programmes, sources added.

UNI