Derailed : 130 projects of Western Rly
To save itself from running into cash deficit, the Indian Railways has put on hold projects like beautification of Ahmedabad railway station
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, October 15, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010101520101015031458241fbe2fbfb)
The Indian Railways may be basking in the glory of 13 gold medals its players have clinched at the Commonwealth Games, but it is a long winding tunnel ahead for the largest rail network in Asia.
It has derailed around 130 small and big projects of the Western Railway, particularly Gujarat, as part of cost-cutting measures to counter the lacklustre earnings. This means some of the key projects, including beautification of Ahmedabad railway station, are likely to be delayed by at least five years, sources said. It is worth mentioning here that the railways has pumped in Rs 100 crore into the Commonwealth Games as its official sponsor.
According to media reports, the revenue surplus has dropped to Rs 1 crore as compared to nearly Rs 4,500 crore in 2008-09.
A number of factors have affected the earnings of Indian Railways — global economic downturn and increased pay scales for its 1.4 million employees to name a few. It also plans to clear a backlog of 2 lakh vacancies in the next six months. All this has prompted the railways to put on hold its ambitious plans of investing 14 trillion in the 10-year plan.
Bearing the brunt of this decision are projects concerning the Western Railway.
“As many as 130 projects of the Western Railway have been put on hold. The beautification of Ahmedabad railway station, conversion of metre gauge platforms No 9 and 10 into broad gauge platform lines and addition of lines on several routes, will now be delayed. Even the installation of elevators at Ahmedabad station will take time now,” said a highly placed source on condition of anonymity.
Plans were on the anvil to transform Ahmedabad railway station into a world-class station by 2030. The state-of-the-art station building was to have amenities like food plazas, currency exchange counter, hotels, retail outlets, ATMs, separate departure and arrival arenas to streamline passenger movement, well-illuminated circulating areas and barrier-free excess for the differently abled. But this will now remain a pipe dream for Amdavadis.
Also on hold will be projects like Viramgam remodelling yard, a third line on Shahibaug-Sabarmati route, extension of line in Barejadi, terminal facilities in Okha and a new block station on Dhrangadhra-Vasada route.
“At the Ahmedabad railway station, only platforms 1 to 7 had broad gauge lines whereas platforms 9 and 10 weren’t being used. Now that there is more traffic on the route, there were plans to have broad gauge lines for platforms 9 and 10 as well. But now that will not happen,” the official said.
The cost-cutting measures are so profound that even purchase of decorative items and non-essential office equipment have been totally banned. Instructions have been issued to keep a watch on pilferage of HSD Oil and lubrication oils in the sheds as well.
All this when the Western Railway has performed remarkably well in freight earnings. In September 2010 it was Rs 462.20 crore, which is 23 per cent more than last year’s earnings of Rs 375.49 crore. The freight earning for the current financial period up to September was Rs 2,769 crore which is an increase of almost 10 percent over last year’s.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, October 15, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010101520101015031458241fbe2fbfb)
The Indian Railways may be basking in the glory of 13 gold medals its players have clinched at the Commonwealth Games, but it is a long winding tunnel ahead for the largest rail network in Asia.
It has derailed around 130 small and big projects of the Western Railway, particularly Gujarat, as part of cost-cutting measures to counter the lacklustre earnings. This means some of the key projects, including beautification of Ahmedabad railway station, are likely to be delayed by at least five years, sources said. It is worth mentioning here that the railways has pumped in Rs 100 crore into the Commonwealth Games as its official sponsor.
According to media reports, the revenue surplus has dropped to Rs 1 crore as compared to nearly Rs 4,500 crore in 2008-09.
A number of factors have affected the earnings of Indian Railways — global economic downturn and increased pay scales for its 1.4 million employees to name a few. It also plans to clear a backlog of 2 lakh vacancies in the next six months. All this has prompted the railways to put on hold its ambitious plans of investing 14 trillion in the 10-year plan.
Bearing the brunt of this decision are projects concerning the Western Railway.
“As many as 130 projects of the Western Railway have been put on hold. The beautification of Ahmedabad railway station, conversion of metre gauge platforms No 9 and 10 into broad gauge platform lines and addition of lines on several routes, will now be delayed. Even the installation of elevators at Ahmedabad station will take time now,” said a highly placed source on condition of anonymity.
Plans were on the anvil to transform Ahmedabad railway station into a world-class station by 2030. The state-of-the-art station building was to have amenities like food plazas, currency exchange counter, hotels, retail outlets, ATMs, separate departure and arrival arenas to streamline passenger movement, well-illuminated circulating areas and barrier-free excess for the differently abled. But this will now remain a pipe dream for Amdavadis.
Also on hold will be projects like Viramgam remodelling yard, a third line on Shahibaug-Sabarmati route, extension of line in Barejadi, terminal facilities in Okha and a new block station on Dhrangadhra-Vasada route.
“At the Ahmedabad railway station, only platforms 1 to 7 had broad gauge lines whereas platforms 9 and 10 weren’t being used. Now that there is more traffic on the route, there were plans to have broad gauge lines for platforms 9 and 10 as well. But now that will not happen,” the official said.
The cost-cutting measures are so profound that even purchase of decorative items and non-essential office equipment have been totally banned. Instructions have been issued to keep a watch on pilferage of HSD Oil and lubrication oils in the sheds as well.
All this when the Western Railway has performed remarkably well in freight earnings. In September 2010 it was Rs 462.20 crore, which is 23 per cent more than last year’s earnings of Rs 375.49 crore. The freight earning for the current financial period up to September was Rs 2,769 crore which is an increase of almost 10 percent over last year’s.
