Over Rs 1192 crore allocated for Waltair Division in Railway Budget

Waltair Division has been allocated over Rs 1192 crore in the recently announced Railway Budget, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Waltair Division, AK Tripathi said. The budget allotment has been significant for projects to be completed in 2021-22. There has been a significant increase in outlay for road safety works, the road under the bridge and over bridges, and LHS in addition to passenger amenity works.

The ongoing doubling and new line works have been given priority with an allocation of Rs 871 crores. Jagdalpur-Koraput (110.22 km), Koraput-Singapur Road (164.56 km), Jeypore – Malkangiri (130 km), Jeypore – Navarangpur (38 km) have been included in this funding.

Detailing further on the allocation of funds for Waltair Division in the Railway Budget, Mr Tripathi said Rs 20.9 crores have been allocated towards traffic facility works, which includes Gopalapatnam-Vizianagaram – provision of auto signaling including Simhachalam bypass line, conversion of Line 4 into a longer loop with common loop status for python trains at Chipurupalli.

For road safety works that include road over/under bridges, level crossings, Palasa-Pundi – road over bridge in lieu of level crossing No.ML/373 (Srikakulam District), Ponduru-Sigdam – road over bridge in lieu of level crossing No.ML/438, Naupada-Kotabommali – road over bridge, Urlam-Srikakulam – road over bridge, 3 limited height subways in lieu of level crossings Palasa-Pundi & Pundi-Naupada, 3 limited height subways in lieu of level crossings Kotabommali-Tilaru, Palasa-Pundi & Kotabommali Yard,  Rs 47.22 crores have been allocated.

Track renewal works, which enhance rider comfortability, safety, and sectional speed have been allocated an amount of Rs 170.64 crores. The renewal works include through sleeper renewal, track repairs, ballast works, etc over the Waltair Division.

The maintenance of bridges, tunnels, and approaches has been catered Rs 20.87 crores while signaling and telecom works have got Rs 22.125 crores to be utilized for replacing old signaling systems, modernisation, and repairs.

Further, the Wagon POH workshop of 200 Nos capacity at Vadlapudi, Visakhapatnam, which is nearing completion, has been allocated Rs 30 crores. Augmentation of Diesel Loco Shed, Visakhapatnam, for homing 100 HHP locomotives has been allocated Rs 10 crores while the augmentation of Electric Loco Shed for homing of 200 locos has got Rs 1.5 crores in this budget. Overall, workshops and sheds have been allocated Rs 45 crores in this financial year, Mr Tripathi said.