Indore (Madhya Pradesh): For the first time, railway projects linked with city got Rs 1453 cr in the Railway Budget for 2022-23 fiscal. The highest Rs 888 crore has been allocated for gauge conversion of Mhow-Sanawad section of Ratlam-Khandwa gauge conversion project. Indore-Dahod new line project has also got Rs 265 cr.
The outlays proposed for railway projects in the General Budget, which also include the Railway Budget also, was released on Wednesday. Going with the aspirations of people and looking at inordinate delays in long pending projects, allocation has been made in the budget.
Rs 265 crore has been allocated for 200-km Indore-Dahod new rail line project. Last year this amount was Rs 170 cr. The project freezed in 2020 was de-freezed on December 13, 2021.
Among the three major railway projects connected with the city, the highest amount of Rs 888 has been allocated for Mhow-Sanawad section of Ratlam-Khandwa gauge conversion project. In the last Budget, Rs 365 crore was allocated. However, project progress remained quite slow.
Besides, Rs 200 crore has been allocated for Indore-Dewas-Ujjain (79 km) long doubling project. Besides, the Railways has also proposed to build road over bridge between Mhow and Harniakhedi, Barlai and Mangliagoan and close to Laxmibai Nagar railway station.
MP Shankar Lalwani thanked PM Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav for allocation for projects linked to development of the rail network
Rs 1,000 for Manmad, Jabalpur projects
In the Rail Budget token amount of Rs 1,000 each has been made for Indore-Manmad and Indore-Jabalpur new rail line projects. Experts said that token amount had been allocated as the projects were still under development stage in partnership with concern state goverments. Thus the allocation would be made in consultation with these state governments.
Pace
Former member of Passenger Amenities Committee of the Railway Board, Nagesh Namjoshi expressed happiness over fund allocation for all three major railway projects of the city. He said that for the first time Rs 888 cr has been allocated for Mhow-Sanawad gauge conversion project. Namjoshi said that despite fund allocation, slow pace of work in Mhow-Sanawad project was a cause of worry.
