Konkan Railway celebrates its 35th anniversary, secures new projects of Rs 4,157 crore

Mumbai, Oct 15 (PTI) Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), which celebrated its 35th Foundation Day on Wednesday, has secured new projects amounting to Rs 4,157 crore, including Rs 3,000 crore in electrification works, a top official said.

At a ceremony held at the CIDCO Exhibition and Convention Centre in Navi Mumbai, KRCL Chairman and Managing Director Santosh Kumar Jha announced that Northern Railway had awarded KRCL a Rs 952-crore contract for the maintenance of engineering, signalling, telecommunication, and electrical assets on the newly constructed Katra–Banihal section of the USBRL project for five years.

Among other key developments, Jha shared that KRCL received environmental clearance and a Letter of Acceptance for the Rs 1,341-crore Anakkampoyil–Kalladi–Meppady Tunnel Road Project. Additionally, the Kerala government approved a detailed project report worth Rs 1,482.92 crore for rail connectivity to the Vizhinjam International Seaport.

Jha noted that the fiscal year 2024–25 marked the third consecutive profitable year post-COVID, with the corporation achieving a total revenue of Rs 4,202.67 crore and a profit of Rs 137.69 crore.

KRCL also commenced work on new railway line projects in Odisha, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, including the Khurda Road–Bolangir and Taranga Hill–Abu Road broad gauge lines.

Highlighting the dedication of KRCL employees and the corporation’s expansion initiatives, Jha said that during the Ganesh festival, KRCL operated a record 381 special trains, carrying more than 9 lakh passengers. The corporation also introduced a Ro-Ro car transport service for the first time.

He added that façade beautification works at 12 stations were completed under an MoU with Maharashtra PWD at a cost of Rs 100 crore. Beautification of Ratnagiri station is currently underway under a Rs 45 crore MoU with MIDC, which is expected to transform the station.

A new KRCL mobile application was also launched, offering essential travel information along with women-centric safety features, freight business tools, and disabled-friendly functionality. The app is now available on both iOS and Android platforms. PTI KK NSK