Ircon executes landmarkrailway projects in Bihar

Patna: Ircon International Limited (Ircon) has played an important role in constructing bridges, road over bridges (ROB) and new railway lines in the state over the years.
Set up in 1976 across the country, Ircon gave a new face to the railways in the state after its foray in Bihar in 1998. Bihar lacked proper infrastructure to cope with the growing demands of the passengers and Ircon undertook various development projects under the direct supervision of the then project director V P Singh.
Singh, who retired on June 30, said Ircon registered earnings to a tune of about Rs 2950 crore during 2014-2015 fiscal making a net profit of Rs 844 crore for Bihar projects.
It was awarded railway projects worth several crores, including the most ambitious Digha-Sonepur rail bridge project which was completed at a cost of Rs 1570 crore. The first major project completed by Ircon was a cable stayed bridge at Chiraiyatad in Patna at a cost of Rs 15 crore during 2004-2007.
Ircon has been given the task of building 33 road over bridges (ROBs) in Bihar, out of which 22 have so far been completed.
The laying of new lines on Mansi-Saharsa section of Samastipur division and Fatuha-Islampur section of Danapur division have been completed by Ircon within the stipulated time, sources said, adding construction of roads under Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was also completed successfully in the state.
Lauding the achievement of Ircon during the tenure of Singh, a Railway Board official said it achieved a landmark when it successfully completed the Indo-Nepal rail link by laying tracks between Raxaul and Birganj at a cost of Rs 8.10 crore. Two sleeper factories located at Madhepura and Chak Sikandarpur were also completed in Bihar, he said adding Ircon contributed a lot in the development of Patna by building more than six ROBs in Patna district alone.
A Board official said Ircon has been allocated new projects like doubling of tracks on the Kiul-Gaya and Hajipur-Bachwara sections. Besides, it has been given the task of building a new bridge parallel to Rajendra Pul at Hathidah near Mokama. It is also developing a new coal transportation system for the super thermal power station at Nabinagar in Bihar, he said.