Rail Budget: 800 km of lines to be converted

About 800 km of lines to be gauge converted at Rs 1,950 crore in 2012-13, said Union Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi while presenting the Railway Budget in the Parliament on Wednesday.

He said 725 km of new line completed in the current year, Rs 6,725 crore for new lines. All meter gauge, narrow gauge sections to be made broad gauge, except heritage lines, by end of 12th Five Year Plan.

Thirty-one projects of over 5,000 km being implemented with the support of state governments.

Finance Ministry has agreed to loan Rs 3,000 crore to Railways at 8.55 per cent interest, said Trivedi. Gross rail traffic is targeted to increase by Rs 28,635 crore to Rs 1,32,552 crore in 2012-13.

He said surplus with railways at Rs 1,492 crore in current year as against targeted Rs 5,258 crore. Railways plans to carry 55 million tonnes more freight at 1025 million tonnes in 2012-13, said Trivedi.

More soon...