The Hindu Business Line : CCEA clears Rs 2,000-cr Railway package

THE Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today cleared a Railway package worth nearly Rs 2,000 crore that would be announced by the Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, on January 30.

The CCEA met this evening ahead of the vote-on-account for the Railways, which will be presented on January 30. Mr Kumar is expected to use the opportunity to highlight his Ministry's achievements and announce new schemes and projects.

The proposals cleared include six new trains and a clutch of rail projects that includes the gauge conversion on the new Darbhanga-New Jalpaiguri route that is set to open after the mega rail-cum-road bridge over the Kosi is completed, a senior Government official told Business Line.

The route served as an alternative gateway to North-East till 1936 when the bridge over the Kosi, known as the `Sorrow of Bihar', was washed away due to floods.

The Kosi bridge at Nirmali was approved along with three other mega bridges being constructed with external funding. The Railways obtained clearance for 93-km of gauge conversion between Sakri and Saharsa, which is still a metre-gauge route.

After the gauge conversion and the Rs 3,335-crore bridge, the route will serve as an alternative link to the North-East and help in the development of north Bihar.

The Patna-Motihari-Madhubani state highway has also been declared as National Highway number 104 and will pass on the bridge at Nirmali.

The highway is being developed as part of the Rs 40,000-crore non-NHDP (National Highway Development Programme) roads announced in last year's Budget.

The CCEA also cleared a new terminal building to be constructed at the Ajmeri Gate side of New Delhi railway station. The Minister is slated to lay the foundation stone for the project on Sunday.