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All speech, no speed show

The nation might be waiting with bated breath to hear what the railway minister announces during his budget, but the fact is that it is only the start of what sometimes is a painfully slow process. For many years now, the railway budget is turning into an 'all speech, no speed' show. DNA digs into some of them to come up with a list of city-specific announcements that have made almost no progress on the ground.

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The nation might be waiting with bated breath to hear what the railway minister announces during his budget, but the fact is that it is only the start of what sometimes is a painfully slow process. For many years now, the railway budget is turning into an 'all speech, no speed' show. DNA digs into some of them to come up with a list of city-specific announcements that have made almost no progress on the ground.

July 8, 2014 - Sadananda Gowda

Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed corridor – A Japanese agency has submitted a preliminary report and the final report is expected to be submitted by May 2015. The project, by the most optimistic of standards, is at least a decade away from reality.

Mumbai-Goa high speed corridor – Preliminary study yet to begin. Officials say it is a pipe dream as getting trains to hurtle at 200 kmph on the Konkan Railway which runs through a tough terrain might not be the best answer.

Temperature-controlled warehouses in Bhiwandi and Kalamboli – still on paper

Project coordination and management group comprising state, railway and professionals – Yet to take off. Suresh Prabhu too spoke of it after meeting with CM Devendra Fadnavis last month.

864 EMU (local) coaches over next two years – This is part of the project to get 72 Bombardier rakes for Mumbai, the tender of which was finalised in 2011. So far only 24 coaches – two trains – have been built and have been on trial since October 2013. Work on the other 840 coaches likely to begin in March 2015.

Feb 12, 2014 – Mallikarjun Kharge

Announced several surveys for the state. But the impending Lok Sabha elections meant it was a lame-duck budget as the poll codes kicked in soon.

Surveys

New Lines proposed to be taken up in 2014-15:

i. Karad – Kadegaon – Lenare – Kharsundi – Attapadi – Diganchi –Mahud - Pandharpur

ii. Betul – Chandur Bazar - Amravati

iii. Miraj – Kavathemahankal – Jath - Bijapur

iv. Pune – Baramati via Saswad, Jejuri, Moregaon

v. Pune – Ahmednagar via Kegdaon Kasti

vi. Ghatanandur – Shrigonda Road / Daund via Kaij, Manjarsumbha, Patoda and Jamkhed

Doubling of line proposed to be undertaken in 2014-15:-

i. Latur Road – Kurduwadi

ii. Pune – Kolhapur

Feb 26, 2013 – PK Bansal

1) Introduction of AC rake on WR – Only 6 coaches are ready. Electrical system yet to arrive from BHEL and now the latest deadline is July 2015.

2) 72 additional services – Cosmetic announcement as number of services are bound to go up every year, especially with Western Railway having completed conversion DC-AC traction.

3) Survey for Vasai Road by-pass between Naigaon and Juichandra – project scrapped after the railways realised that making a by-pass without having it affect the suburban lines between Borivali and Virar would require a rail flyover worth almost Rs400 crore.

4) Elevated corridor between Churchgate and Virar – Never took off as state and railways failed to arrive at a decision over funding

March 14, 2012 – Dinesh Trivedi

1) Feasibility study of fast corridor between Virar-Vasai-Diva-Panvel and also 72km suburban corridor on PPP mode between Virar and Panvel – Confusion over funding persists. The Rs10,000-crore project was not part of the revised phase 3 of the MUTP.

2) Pilot project for commercial development on Mumbai suburban system – Plans to sell a 43,000 sq mtrs plot in Bandra on a 45-year lease to raise around Rs 4000 crore failed as tender failed to get any response. Plan for a 8,900 sq mtrs complex near Thane station has also not moved since 2011.

Survey for Vasai-Diva doubling and electrification

February 25, 2011, Mamata Banerjee

1) 700 MW gas-based power plant at Thakurli – with fancy plans like nuclear power plant in the fray, this is a non-starter

2) Mumbai among four cities to build 10,000 dwelling units for slum-dwellers along tracks – A pea-brained plan, officials say. Cost of project was less than the money needed to build the houses.

2) Delhi-Mumbai golden rail corridor (for speeds of 160-200 kmph) feasibility study – Suresh Prabhu said on Thursday that the study would be submitted by mid-2015.

3) Kalyan-Kasara 3rd line – CR first proposed it in 2009 with an estimated cost of Rs 252 crore. At 2014 prices, said officials, it would need over Rs600 crore for completion. So far, only about Rs 35 crore have been spent to build seven minor bridges.

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