Removing encroachments for Ring Railway a major task

Tribune News Service 

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New Delhi, February 26

Removing encroachments for getting space for laying tracks for the Ring Railway announced by Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu during the railway Budget yesterday, is a major task, said a senior official of the Northern Railway. 

He said plan to remove encroachments would be chalked out by the railways and the Delhi government. A few months back, encroachment clearance work was done in Shakurbasti area where a man died and it had become an issue. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal also visited the spot criticising the Northern Railway. 

He said the Ring Railway already existed there and was being used for freight trains that by-passed Delhi. The railways with the help of the Delhi government had to lay down new tracks for passenger trains.

“Modalities have to be worked out for revamping the Ring Railway and there may be requirement for adding another line in the network. Many stations en-route are facing encroachment problems and it has to be tackled first. An action plan is required to handle the situation,” he said.

The Rail Budget 2016-17 has proposed to revamp the Ring Rail service in the Capital to increase the ridership.

Northern Railway General Manager AK Puthia said, “It has to be executed in active coordination with the Delhi government. We will work out a plan in consultation with them. The 35-km-long stretch connects 21 stations, including Lajpat Nagar, Lodhi Colony, Sarojini Nagar, Safdarjung, Pancharipuri, Patel Nagar, Nizamuddin and Pragati Maidan.”

He said removing encroachments to construct approach road, developing stations with better passenger amenities were some of the basic requirements before launching more trains in the Ring Rail. 

Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu said in his Budget speech that all the 21 stations of the Ring Railways would be modernised under the PPP model and the entire work plan should come out in the next four months.