Date:03/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/03/stories/2006020301270700.htm

Back Kutch Railway may get nod to build Bhiladi-Samadari broad gauge line

Mamuni Das

New Delhi , Feb. 2

THE Indian Railways is likely to give Kutch Railway Company Ltd (KRCL) a green signal to construct a 223-km broad gauge line between Bhiladi and Samadari.

Currently, the two places are connected by a meter-gauge rail track. With a broad-gauge track in place, rail connectivity distance between Gujarat ports and Western Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh would be reduced by almost 200 km as compared to the present route.

KRCL, with an equity base of Rs 200 crore, is a public-private partnership, owned by Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (50 per cent), the Kandla Port Trust (26 per cent), Gujarat Adani port (20 per cent) and the Gujarat Government (4 per cent). It was primarily set up to undertake gauge conversion work between Gandhidham, Samakhali and Palanpur, and cut short the rail transportation distance between Gujarat ports and the northern hinterland by about 28 per cent.

The present route would serve the Delhi and Haryana-bound freight traffic whereas the new proposed route would serve the traffic towards Western Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh from Gujarat ports.

Top officials from the Railway Board indicated that they would favourably consider KRCL's proposal to construct the track between Bhiladi and Samadari and appreciated KRCL for its "fast execution" of the ongoing project. "Certainly the Board would consider KRCL's proposal to build a track between Bhiladi and Samadari... It should be completed in less than a year," said Mr S.B. Ghosh Dastidar, Member (Traffic), Indian Railways, addressing officials at the KRCL's foundation day.

KRCL has been able to manage the two basic criteria important for project management — time overrun and cost control, said Mr J.P. Batra, Chairman, Railway Board.

"KRCL brought the cost down to Rs 500 crore (from an approved cost level of Rs 550.75 crore)... it has been able to raise finance at an impressive cost of 7.5 per cent," added Mr Batra.

Earlier, Mr Yogendra Sharma, Managing Director, KRCL, had sought an approval for the proposed project in the backdrop of "hardening interest rates." The company has assured that it would execute gauge conversion of 248 km in a period of about three and a half months.

KRCL plans to commission the 248-km track between Samakhali and Palanpur by March 31. Freight trains are expected to move after March since a broad-gauge already exists between Samakhali and Gandhidham.

The rest of the 53-km track, which would form another broad gauge rail track between Samakhali and Gandhidham is expected to be completed December.