Rail budget: Digitised mapping to end encroachments
26 Feb 2015
Railway minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, presenting his budget for Indian Railways for 2015-16 in parliament, said that encroachment on railways land is a serious issue, and to counter this, digitised mapping of land records has been initiated and responsibility will be fixed on officials for any encroachments.
He also informed the members that the railways are drawing up a comprehensive policy to tap the latent advertising potential. The new strategy would harness all avenues, including offering stations and trains for corporate branding.
It is launching a Coastal Connectivity Program this year where Railways in partnership with the concerned ports will deliver rail connectivity to Nargol, Chharra, Dighi, Rewas and Tuna. This programme is expected to mobilize investments of approximately Rs2,000 crore.
It proposes to launch projects worth Rs 2500 crore through BOT/Annuity route. These include Wardha-Nagpur 3rd line, Kazipet-Vijaywada third line, Bhadrak –Nargundi third line and Bhuj- Nalia gauge conversion.
The minister also said that the scrap disposal policy of Indian Railways will be reviewed for speedier scrap disposal.
