Railways complete survey for Hospet-Londa-Vasco Da Gama : Velu

New Delhi, Sep 6 (UNI) The Railways have completed the survey for the doubling of 342.22 km railway track from Hospet-Londa-Vasco-Da-Gama, Minister of State for Railways R Velu said today.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, he said the survey was carried out by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). As per the survey report, the cost of doubling of this line has been assessed at Rs 1837.95 crores.

The length of single line railway track in Jammu and Kashmir as on March 31, 2007 was placed at 137.77 km, the minister said in response to another question.

He said the doubling of Jalandhar-Jammu Tawi line, part of which falls in Jammu and Kashmir, is in progress and complete double line on this route will be available by 2008-09.

Responding to another question, the minister said there have been demands for construction of new rail lines from Tanakpur to Bageshwar and Rishikesh to Karnprayag in Uttarakhand. Surveys for these lines have been done in past and the proposal could not be considered due to un-remunerative nature, heavy throwforward of ongoing projects and constraint of resources.

In response to another question, he said the land papers for part-length have been filed with State authorities for the acquisition of land for Bargachhia-Champadanga section of Howrah-Amta-Champadanga Broad gauge line under the South Eastern Ralway. The land is yet to be handed over by State Government.

The assessment of total cost of land involved has not been done as the land cost is to be borne by the state government.

Mr Velu said the state government had committed to provide land free of cost.

UNI