Press Release! Suresh Prabhu Inaugurates Gauge Conversion Project of Loharu-Sikar Railway Line

Suresh Prabhu Inaugurates Gauge Conversion Project of Loharu-Sikar Railway Line in Rajasthan by Flagging off Trains New Train Services Namely Rewari-Sikar Passenger (Daily) Train and Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Sikar Express (Bi-weekly) Flagged off

The Gauge conversion of 122 Km. Loharu-Sikar Railway Line has been completed at a cost of about Rs. 260 crores. Indian Railways has taken yet another step forward in meeting the long pending demands of the people by providing connectivity from Delhi to Sikar by introducing a new train service viz. 14811/14812 Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Sikar Express (Bi-weekly) after completion of gauge conversion of Loharu-Sikar section. Also, an additional passenger train viz. 59727/59728, 59729/59730 Rewari-Sikar Passenger (Daily) is being introduced. Both trains were flagged off by the Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu through remote control by organizing video conferencing between Rail Bhawan, (New Delhi) and Sikar, (Rajasthan). Besides Railway Minister, Chairman Railway Board, Sh. A.K.Mital and Member Engineering, Railway Board, Sh. V.K.Gupta and other Board Members were present at New Delhi end. While Shri Ajay Singh Kilak, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Cooperative deptt., Govt. of Rajasthan, Smt.Santosh Ahlawat, MP, Jhunjunu, Shri Sumedhanand Saraswati ,MP, Sikar were among those present at the Sikar end. Speaking on the occasion, Railway Minister shri Suresh Prabhu said that Gauge Conversion of this 122 km. Railway Line was sanctioned in 2008-09. It has been completed at a cost of about Rs. 260 crores. The project which was languishing due to shortage of funds, got a new lease of life with enhanced outlay in 2014-15, resulting in its commissioning for goods trains in June, 2015. He said that with the introduction of direct Train from Sikar to Delhi Sarai Rohilla, the districts of Sikar and Jhunjhunu Districts of Shekhawati region of Rajasthan have come nearer to the National Capital. The new train between Rewari and Sikar will also connect the people of Rewari and Bhiwani Districts of Haryana with those of Sikar and Jhunjhunu Districts of Rajasthan. The Railway Minister pointed out that sufficient funds have been provided in 2015-16 for the balance portion of this project i.e. Jaipur-Ringas-Churu so as to complete it by March, 2017. He said that development of rail infrastructure in Rajasthan is a priority for Indian Railways, as this State is strategically located between ports of Gujarat and Northern India. Towards this, an outlay of about Rs. 2450 crores has been provided in the current financial year for network expansion in Rajasthan, as compared to about Rs. 700 crores provided in 2014-15. It is necessary to develop Railway Connectivity in Rajasthan so that full potential of Rajasthan could be realized. Railway Minister stated that western DFC is also coming off quite fast. This corridor is bound to change the landscape of industrially backward region of Rajasthan. Completion of Western DFC corridor in 2019 will open new avenues of development for this State. Shri Suresh Prabhu said that Railway Ministry is committed to improve Railway connectivity in all the states. The Railway Minister informed that Indian Railways is already in the process of forming Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) with 17 states for more systematic and focused development of Railway Infrastructure and respective States. Shri Suresh Prabhu said that central Government and State Governments should together work for completing Railway Projects.