The Hindu : Rs. 269 cr. for rly. track renewal, bridge repair works

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 06, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Rs. 269 cr. for rly. track renewal, bridge repair works

By S.Vydhianathan

CHENNAI Aug. 5 . The Railway Ministry has sanctioned Rs. 269 crores to Southern Railway for track renewal and bridge repair works for the current year.

The amount included Rs. 129 crores under the Special Railway Safety Fund (SRSF) for safety works. While rails to a length of about 426 km would be renewed, sleepers in about 366 km would be replaced in the current year.

According to Southern Railway sources, the total length of over-aged track due for renewal till April 1 last year was 872 km. Of this, track over a length of about 175 km was renewed till March 31 this year, including about 80 km in the Chennai division.

But for the allotment of more money under the SRSF it would not be possible to take up the renewal of about 425 km in the current year. Thanks to the special fund, the zone was able to take up some of the backlog works which had been pending for a long time. The on-going gauge conversion had also helped the zone to lay new track between Chennai and Dindigul and from Chengalpattu to Arakkonam.

During the conversion, some of the old bridges were replaced. Bridges, which did not require immediate replacement, were strengthened.

But in case of all bridges new super structure was laid to the broad gauge specification. In these stretches, new signalling equipment were also installed.

In major sections like Chennai-Bangalore and Chennai-Trivandrum, tracks were being renewed wherever required. The sources said some of the bridges in the zone were more than 100-year old.

These bridges were constructed between 1867 and 1890.

A majority of them were still strong, excepting a few which showed some signs of stress. As the administration did not want to take any risk, periodic inspection of these bridges was being done, the sources added.

Referring to the metre gauge track, the sources admitted that on-going gauge conversion had almost frozen the renewal work on the metre gauge sections.

So far, minor replacement alone was done that too on stretches, which were badly required.

Now it had been decided to take up the renewal of some of the metre gauge sections as well with the available extra funds.

Renewal of tracks and bridges would help increase the speed of the trains, besides increasing the number of trains, the sources said.

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