PANAJI
Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu on Sunday declared that the 7-star Maharajas’ Express, an advanced luxury train which was restricted to North India so far, will be directed to move along the Konkan Railway region covering Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala by the end of year 2017.
Speaking at an official Railway Ministry event for inauguration of several services from Panaji, Union Railway Minister Prabhu, stated, “Following a discussion with Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, my ministry has decided to direct the Maharajas’ Express, which otherwise only moves along North India, towards Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala by the end of this year. This will immensely benefit to tourism and employment in these four States.”
He also informed that the work of doubling railway lines in Goa is expected to begin by the end of this year.
“This year has witnessed record works of electrification, doubling and installation of bio-toilets. Electrification has touched 42 per cent across the country and over the next five years, the ministry is hoping to double this figure with the existing narrow and meter gauge being the only exception. Once these are converted into broad gauge, these too will be electrified,” Prabhu stated speaking about electrification of railway lines across the length and breadth of the country.
The Minister also spoke with enthusiasm about the Enterprise Resource Plan (EPR), which is an innovative strategy adopted by the railway ministry to achieve significant progress in the field of digitization.
Referring to the plan for digitization, Prabhu informed, “Rs 10,000 crore investment during the present term will save Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000 crore over the next ten to twenty years. My vision is aimed at optimization, enhancement of productivity, effectiveness and all this with cost-reduction.”
The Railway Ministry disclosed that its new business strategy is to go to the customer’s doorstep with end-to-end solutions and to move closer to the market with renewed capacity and quality in order to gradually become the backbone of India’s GDP growth.
Several officials of the railways including the general manager of South Western Railways Ashok Kumar Gupta and the chairman and the Managing Director of Konkan Railways Sanjay Gupta were present at the event organised to dedicate to the nation over seven completed projects including the electrification along 82 kilometres between Central Mangalore and Charvattur (CHV) railway station in Kerala, the doubling of lines, new India Post passenger reservation system at Lanja, Ratnagiri, Sangameshwar and Khed stations, a new halt station at Saundal in Rajapur Taluka of Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra, and an integrated control office application.
