Cabinet approves two multitracking projects across Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
New Delhi (PTI): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved on Wednesday two railway projects covering seven districts in Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with a total cost of Rs 6,405 crore.
One of them is the doubling of the 133-km-long Koderma-Barkakana track which not only passes through a major coal-producing area of Jharkhand but serves as the shortest and a more efficient rail link between Patna and Ranchi.
The second project is the doubling of the 185-km Ballari-Chikjajur track that traverses through Ballari and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
According to the government, the approved multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 1,408 villages, which have a population of about 28.19 lakh.
“These are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, iron ore, finished steel, cement, fertilizers, agriculture commodities, and Petroleum products etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 49 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum),” it said.
The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion, a government press note said.
The projects are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modiji’s vision of a New India which will make people of the region 'Atmanirbhar' by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities,” it said.
The Railway Ministry said that the projects are a result of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services.
“The two projects covering seven districts across the states of Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 318 Kms,” the Ministry added.
Talking about their environmental benefits, the Ministry said that the Railways, being environment-friendly and energy-efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (52 crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (264 crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 11 crore trees.
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Bridge portion collapses on Jammu outskirts; 3-4 labourers feared trapped, 1 rescued
Jammu (PTI): A portion of a small bridge collapsed in the Bantalab area on the outskirts of Jammu city on Friday, trapping at least three to four labourers under the debris, while one injured worker was rescued, official sources said.
Authorities have closed the road link following the collapse of the portion of the bridge.
The incident occurred when labourers were carrying out repair work on a retaining wall near the bridge that was damaged in last year's flash floods, the sources said.
According to the sources, a section of the bridge suddenly gave way, burying workers engaged at the site under the rubble.
Police, Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams launched rescue operations to extricate those buried under the debris. They pulled out one injured labourer and shifted him to a hospital, the sources said.
Family members of the labourers present at the site said around six workers engaged at the site at the time of the incident came under the debris when the structure collapsed. The family members said while two of the labourers managed to escape, four got trapped.
The sources said those trapped included the husband of a woman labourer, a mason, an unmarried labourer and a relative of the contractor.
There was no official confirmation on the exact number of persons trapped under the debris till the filing of this report.
The rescue operations are ongoing.
