Railways plans image makeover

Indian Railways plans to spend a whopping Rs 59,120 crores on procuring rolling stock coaches, wagons, locomotives in the Eleventh Five Year Plan period between 2007-2012.

Indian Railways plans to spend a whopping Rs 59,120 crores on procuring rolling stock coaches, wagons, locomotives in the Eleventh Five Year Plan period between 2007-2012. Out of the estimated Rs 2,44,129 crores required, expenditure on rolling stock would constitute almost one-fourth of their investment needs, underlining the emphasis on improvement in this area.

With the ministry having unveiled plans to involve international private players in setting up coach and locomotive manufacturing factories, officials say, improving the quality, efficiency and look of passenger coaches, freight wagons and locomotives are what the ministry plans for an image makeover of its trains. Sources said introduction of stainless steel bodies for coaches, improved seating arrangements and air-conditioning for trains are some of the plans to bring the railways at par with international standards.

Renewal of tracks would be the other major area where Railways plan to pump in huge money. In the next Plan period, Rail Bhawan estimates a sum of Rs 24,885 crores worth of investments for track renewal. While another Rs 16,000 crore is being estimated as investment for laying 2,000 km of new lines, the ministry requires around Rs 19,000 crore for doubling of lines in the XIth plan.

Signalling and Telecommunication works are estimated to require Rs 12,700 crores as investment.

The ministry also estimates to invest around Rs 42,000 crore in some Public Sector Undertakings like the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd and the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of Indian Ltd.

Further, safety issues and construction of road overbridges, road under-bridges and level crossings are other areas likely to see major investments.

The ministry is planning a Rs 12,000 crore investment in these areas. Electrification and traffic facilities, the ministry estimates, would require investments worth Rs 3,500 crore and Rs 5,200 crore, respectively. There are plans to invest around Rs 2,200 crore in procuring machinery and setting up manufacturing facilities.