It seems those who registered their protests about railway minister Suresh Prabhu having done nothing much for his home state might have shot off their mouths a tad too early. Projects worth a tidy sum of over Rs10,000 crore have been sanctioned for Maharashtra in the budget, with officials claiming that it might be more than what the state has got in a long time.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

In keeping with the aim of increasing the safety of operations, the railway ministry has allotted Rs29,993.58 crore for the construction of road overbridges and level-crossing gates.

The costliest plan sanctioned is Rs4,670 crore to double the 467km Pune-Miraj-Londa line. Among the projects is a plan to build a new 112km railway line between Karad and Chiplun at a cost of Rs1,200 crore. A 64km third line between Pune and Lonavala at a cost of Rs800 crore has also been sanctioned, as has a third line of 228km between Nagpur and Rajnandgaon at a cost of Rs1,273 crore.

According to officials, while these projects were long overdue and are essential, it could also be because Vidarbha as well as the Pune region gave the BJP a thumbs-up during the recent assembly elections.

For Mumbai suburban commuters, the budget has given Rs5.1 crore for extension of platform cover at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Byculla, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Mulund and Dombivli to give respite to people waiting for the 15-coach trains.

A sum of Rs23.43 crore has been given for the replacement of foot overbridges at Asangaon, Sewri, Mumbra, Masjid, Bhandup, Dadar and Diva.

An engineering-cum-traffic survey has also been initiated for an additional 65km suburban line on the Virar-Diva-Panvel stretch at a cost of Rs9.75 lakh as well as Rs9 lakh to survey the feasibility of an elevated fast corridor between CST and Panvel.Maha goodiesNew lineKarad-Chiplun: A 112km project at Rs1,200 croreNew line surveyPune-Nashik: 265km at Rs1.03 croreManmad-Indore via Malegaon and Dhule: 339km at Rs1.32 croreRotegaon-Puntamba: 27km at Rs4 lakhRamtek-Tumsar: 50km at Rs8 lakhUmarpara-Nandurbar: 110km at Rs17 lakhDoublingPune-Lonavala third line: A 64km project at Rs800 crorePune-Miraj-Londa: A 467km project at Rs4,670 croreWardha-Ballarshah third line: A 132km project at Rs630 croreBalance of third line on the Kazipet-Ballarsha section: 202km at Rs2,020 croreNagpur-Rajnandgaon third line: 228km at Rs1,273 croreDoubling surveyIgatpuri-Bhusaval third line: 308km at Rs3.08 croreTraffic facilitiesExtension of platforms 10, 11, 12 and 13 to handle 24-coach trains at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus: Rs57 croreJNPT yard infrastructure for long haul trains: Rs5.3 croreWardha-Chitoda second chord line: Rs15.4 croreGaigon yard remodelling: Rs9.36 crorePassenger amenitiesExtension of cover over platforms for 15-car services at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Byculla, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Mulund and Dombivli: Rs5.1 croreReplacement of foot overbridge at Asangaon, Sewri, Mumbra, Masjid, Bhandup, Dadar, Diva: Rs23.43 croreReplacement of foot overbridge at Jalgaon and Manmad: Rs5.13 crore and Rs5.71 crore, respectivelyCover over platforms, façade improvement, second entry at Ahmednagar: Rs2.67 croreSafety worksRoad overbridges/under-bridges and level crossing gates: Rs2,993.58 croreSurveys in progressReconnaissance engineering-cum-traffic surveyExtension of Narkher-Badnera new line to Washim via Dhanaj, Karanja, Mangrulpur, 135km: Rs20.25 lakhNew line between Pandharpur and Lonand, 145km: Rs20.55 lakhThird line on the Itarsi-Nagpur-Wardha-Ballarshah route, 73.8km: Rs54.83 lakhAdditional suburban line on the Virar-Diva-Panvel stretch, 65km: Rs9.75 lakhNew line for provision of fast corridor on Harbour Line between CST and Panvel: Rs9 lakhNew line between Pen and Thal, 26km: Rs3.9 lakhNew line on the Betul-Chandur Bazar-Amravati route, 75km: Rs11.25 lakhSurajgarh-Bijapur via Bhopalpattanam new line, 300km: Rs45 lakhNew line between proposed Navi Mumbai airport and Thane, 60km: Rs9 lakhNew line between Shirdi and Shahapur Ghoti, 540km: Rs81 lakhNew line between Belapur and Beed, 165km: Rs25 lakhNew line between Pandharpur and Bijapur via Mangalwedha, 125km: Rs18.75 lakhNew line between Pune and Baramati via Saswad-Jejuri-Moregaon, 50km: Rs7.5 lakhNew line on the Miraj-Kawathemahankal-Jath-Bijapur stretch, 122km: Rs18.3 lakhNew line on the Karad-Kadegaon-Lenare-Kharsundi-Attapadi-Diganchi-Mahud-Pandharpur route, 160km: Rs24 lakhNew line between Aurangabad and Chalisgaon, 95km: Rs14.25 lakhShani Shinganapur to AHN, 40km: Rs6 lakhPreliminary engineering-cum-traffic surveyDoubling of Amla-Chhindwara, 115km: Rs44.85 lakhKalyan-Karjat third line, 46km: Rs18 lakhDoubling between Kasara and Igatpuri fourth line, 16km: Rs6.24 lakhDoubling between Pune and Kolhapur, 326km: Rs1.27 croreDoubling between Latur Road and Kurduwadi via Latur, Usmanabad, 186km: Rs72.5 lakhNew line on the Ghatnandur-Shrigonda Road/Daund route via Kaij, Manjarsumbha, Patoda and Jankhed, 230km: Rs34.5 lakhNew line between Pune and Ahmednagar via Kedgaon Kasti, 120km: Rs18 lakhKarjat-Lonavala fourth line, 28km: Rs10.9 lakhBhusaval-Badnera-Wardha third line, 314km: Rs1.22 croreUpdating surveyDoubling between Daund and Manmad, 238km: Rs35.7 lakhNew line between Warora and Umrer, 106km: Rs15.9 lakhNew line on the Solapur-Tuljhapur-Usmanabad route, 80km: Rs12 lakh