The Railways has been directed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to deploy additional resources to fast-track the execution of three new rail lines to boost coal output by 300 million tonne by providing linkages to untapped mines. The Union government's move is aimed at cutting India Inc's growing dependence on coal imports, which have been on the rise due to dipping domestic supplies of fuel.
The Prime Minister, who will personally monitor the progress of these green-field railway projects in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand, has brought forward the deadline for operationalisation of these tracks by at least two years to between December 2014 and March 2015.
Since the over Rs 7,000-crore rail projects are being fully funded by state-run Coal India, which needs them to evacuate coal from untapped mines in the hinterland, the railways have been told to fast-track these lines and not cite paucity of funds as reason for any delay.