Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (Photo | ANI)
CHENNAI: The concession for senior citizens cannot be resumed as the Railways is already operating at a subsidised rate. “For every Rs 100 spent towards operational expenses, the Railways collects only Rs 45 from a passenger. We have to contribute to keeping the railways a sustainable mode of transport,” said Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday, while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function held at IIT Madras.
From 2015 to 2022, an average of Rs 2,500 crore was allocated to Tamil Nadu for infrastructure works and this year’s allocation was Rs 3,861 crore, he said.Commenting on extending the railway line to Sabarimala from Bodi and Dindigul, given the inauguration of the Madurai-Bodi BG line soon, Vaishnaw said multiple new line surveys were going on.
Vaishnaw said, under the station redevelopment programme during the first phase, five stations—Chennai Egmore, Katpadi, Rameswaram, Kanniyakumari and Madurai—will be developed with world-class facilities at Rs 760 crore. “Railway projects worth Rs 30,000 crore are being planned and implemented in the State,” he said.
To prevent elephant deaths in Coimbatore-Palakkad section, the Railways will build underpasses. “We have already identified the locations and we will enhance the height of the track. An MoU will be signed with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change regarding this,” said Vaishnaw.
To a query on bullet trains or high-speed trains in Tamil Nadu, Vaishnaw said high-speed trains are being planned to connect larger cities first. “In the Southern Railway, intercity trains will be replaced with Vande Bharat rakes.”
Preventing jumbo deaths
To prevent elephant deaths in Coimbatore-Palakkad section, the Railways will build underpasses. We have already identified the locations and we will enhance the height of the track. An MoU will be signed with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change regarding this, said Vaishnaw.
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