NEW DELHI: To prioritise its projects under the PM Gati Shakti scheme, the Railways has formed a directorate within the Railway Board and set up its units in Khurda, Bilaspur, Delhi and Bengaluru divisions to expedite the ambitious scheme, sources said.
The national master plan for multi-modal connectivity aims to bring 16 ministries, including the Railways and Roadways, together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
It was launched last year.
The project aims to provide integrated and seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services from one mode of transport to another.
It will facilitate the last-mile connectivity of infrastructure and also reduce travel time for people.
The new directorate, headed by an additional-member rank official, will comprise executive directors of different departments like traffic, civil, electrical, signalling and telecom, finance, and security.
There will also be a director-rank economic advisor from the Indian Economic Service, the source said.
The Gati Shakti Directorate will get approval for works of up to Rs 100 crore from the member, finance.
It will be finally approved by the Chairman of the Railway Board.
Such units will also be formed at the division level with Divisional Railway Managers heading the units, sources said.
Officers transferred to these units will be able to retain their housing as an incentive, they said.
The directorate will be responsible for planning and prioritising projects related to the Gati Shakti Scheme, examining and conducting surveys and project reports.
They will also coordinate with stakeholders.
With this, the number of directorates in the Railways will increase from 24 to 25.