Chennai: In a move to improve rail connectivity between Chennai and other cities and provide better infrastructure and services, the Union railway minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated railway projects worth Rs 373 crore on Sunday.
The projects inaugurated in the city on Sunday include two broad gauge lines — the 30-km Tambaram–Chengalpet line expected to cost Rs 256 crore and the 15-km Chinnasalem–KallaKurichi line expected to cost Rs 116.6 crore — for which the foundation stones were laid.
“In 2015 we were able to raise Rs 1.2 lakh crore through LIC for the infrastructure projects, which is the highest amount raised in the history of Indian railways. Moreover, we have decided to decentralise the railway projects decision making process where the state government and other stakeholders will be given more preference,” said the railway minister at the function held at the East Tambaram railway grounds.
“As both the GST and the Chennai-Kanyakumari line passes through Tambaram and with Chengalpet located 30 kms from Tambaram, the BG route has huge potential to be developed and for Chengalpet to become the next satellite town of Chennai,” the minister added.
The railway minister, through video conferencing, inaugurated escalators in Tiruchirappalli junction at platforms 2 and 3, a facility costing Rs 91 lakh. The e-bedroll facility, also called 'personalized take away bedroll', the first such facility in Southern railway, was inaugurated at Chennai Central and Thiruvananthapuram Central through video conferencing.
Any confirmed ticket holder traveling in any class can avail of the bedroll either online or across the counter at both the stations. There are two types of bedroll kits. Both types of bedrolls are disposable and passengers can take them home after the journey. Type 1 consists of a bedroll kit costing Rs 140 packed in a non-woven fabric bag consisting of two cotton bed sheets and a pillow. Type 2 consists of a blanket kit costing Rs110 and packed in a non-woven bag consisting of one blanket.
To cater to the demands of the passengers traveling from the northeastern parts to Chennai, a new ‘Suvidha’ AC express between Chennai Central and Shalimar was also flagged off through video conferencing. The railway ministry has also decided to start a new company that comprises the railways and the state government to undertake railway projects on a 51:49 shareholder basis. T.K.M Chinnayya, state minister of Animal husbandry and Trichy Siva, Member of Parliament, attended the inaugural function.
Railywas should adopt more technology: Suresh Prabhu
Railways should focus more on additional technologies and IITians should come up with new ideas to provide solutions, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said.
Speaking at the extra mural lecture held at IIT on Sunday, he said that technology has to be used in a customised way. “There is a direct link between water, sanitation, public health and productivity. We are working on major initiatives to keep the railways clean. There is a marked improvement in sanitation in railways and we should invent water free and odour free toilets,” he said.
Speaking about issues related to safety in the railways, he said most of the accidents happen when people are crossing railway tracks. He said that geospatial technology would help in preventing such accidents. “Geospatial technology will map the whole rail network and that will help in tracking trains in real time. Whenever a train approaches an alarm will automatically go off to prevent accidents,” he said.
Ticketless travel by passengers is causing loss to Railways, he pointed out. He also said the railways would come up with an anti-collision technology.
Further he said that the railway plans to encourage startups. On a question by a student on the opportunities for startups in Indian Railways, he said there is an organisation for research designs and standards in railways. ‘
“We should try to get new entrepreneurs in railways and we are looking at partnerships with them,” he said.
