In order to facilitate container traffic and export of iron ores, the Railway Ministry is working on providing broad gauge connectivity to about a dozen of ports. "While the work for port connectivity for Paradip (Orissa), Krishnapatanam (Andhra Pradesh) and Dahej (Gujarat) ports is already underway, proposals for other ports in Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal are being finalised by the railways, D C Mitra, Managing Director, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) told media.
The RVNL is implementing the port connectivity project. Railways will carry out the port connectivity work on public-private partnership (PPP) model. "While an 85-km line will be laid for Paradip port at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore, Railways will lay a 35-km line for Dahej port at an estimated cost of Rs 140 crore," Mitra said. Work will be carried out in two phases for Krishnapatanam. While in the first phase, 36-km line will be laid at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore, the second phase will feature work on 100-km line at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore. Rail connectivity is very crucial for ports as many projects, including Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and thermal plants, are coming up near the ports. "Rail connectivity will be required to import coal for thermal power projects", Mitra said. There are as many as 180 minor ports in the country and ultimately all those ports catering to container traffic would be connected with broad gauge connectivity. According to a senior Railway Ministry official, the railways plans to increase their market share in both bulk and non-bulk freight traffic by improving the quality of service with reduction in transit line and better reliability and availability. Port connectivity will be a vital link to attract freight traffic.
As per the plan, railways would provide connectivity at the proposed jetties at Diamond Harbour and doubling of Panskura-Haldia section in West Bengal, set up a new chord line between Puttur and Attipattu in Ennore in Tamil Nadu and a dedicated freight line between Wadala and Kurla in Mumbai. The main objective in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan is to create adequate transport capacity to handle the medium-term and long-term projected growth of both passenger and freight traffic and provide improved service in both the segments.
Source: Economictimes
15th November, 2007