Indian Railway introduces 70 new trains this year: P L Mathur

Saharsa, Jun 18 (UNI) As many as 70 new mail and express trains will be introduced during the current financial year across the country, Railway Board member, Traffic, P L Mathur said here today.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the development work at the Saharsa railway junction, Mr Mathur said the Railway Board had undertaken a number of 'special and timebound projects' worth more than Rs 50,000 crore for extension of railway network. He said the network would cover all parts of the country including the Northeastern region, besides improving the safety measure and passengers amenities in all divisions.

He said keeping in view the soaring demand for high speed railway rakes following the proposed introduction of new freight corridors in differeent parts of the country by next year, the Board had decided to increase the production of such heavy duty modern rakes by at least 2,500 every year from 2009-10.

Accordingly, the capacity of several such plants were being increased and modernised to meet the increasing demand, he said.

About the new passenger trains, Mr Mathur said of the 70 new long distance trains as many as 12 would be Garib Raths. 'Of these at least two would originate from Bihar', he pointed out.

Moreover, the Railway Board member said, 24 selected stations across the country would be upgraded as World class stations during the current fiscal at a cost of more than Rs 250 crore.

esides Patna Junction and Gaya stations in Bihar, the proposed world class stations would comprise Secundrabad, New Delhi, Victoria Terminus in Mumbai, Howrah, Malda and Chennai stations among others, he said adding that after completion, hopefully by next year, each of them would look like and have the facilities of the best European, Japanese and American railway stations.

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