Prabhu bats for Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi line

Kolhapur: Union railway minister Suresh Prabhu has once again emphasised on giving priority to the Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi railway line.

Prabhu was in Sawantwadi on Saturday to kick-start the construction of phase-II of Sawantwadi railway terminus. The minister said the preparation of the detailed project report is in the last phase. "With this railway line, there will be a straight connection between the west and east coasts," he said.

"The Indian Railways is keen on connecting ports with railway lines to generate more income as well as employment at various levels. As part of the process, the proposed Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi railway line will be extended to Vijaydurg port so that large scale goods can be transported. We are also keen on inviting a private company for such projects to speed up the work. Moreover, the Karad-Chiplun railway line has been announced in the previous budget, which will connect the Jaigarh port with Karad."

The state government and the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd have roped in a private company for the construction of Karad-Chiplun railway line. The memorandum of understanding in this regard was signed on August 14 in Mumbai. It is the first railway project that would cross the Sahyadri mountain ranges.

Prabhu lauded the Ro-Ro service of the Konkan railways, wherein trucks carrying goods are transported via train to far-off destinations. "The trucks then supply goods to the nearby areas; Hence, the railways has decided to implement it across the country. The service has not only saved huge cost of transportation, but also helped the railways earn through goods transport. Such tactics have helped the railways meet the passenger transport gap, which is comparatively very low," he said.

The Vijaydurg port is a minor one, as per the Union shipping ministry. It is currently managed by Hindustan Infrastructure Projects and Engineering Pvt. Ltd, which has invested more than Rs 1,500 crore for the development and operations of the port. It is an all-weather port which handles agriculture as well industrial cargo of Pune, Satara, Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur districts.

Sources close to Union shipping minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed that Vijaydurg port is a minor one, but it is being handled by a private company. The Union government has also asked other private players to invest in ports as the Centre has been seriously promoting privatisation of ports to generate more income.

While presenting the annual railway budget on February 25, Prabhu announced construction of a fresh railway line between Kolhapur and Vaibhavwadi, a railway station on the Konkan railway route. More than Rs 3,000 crore is expected in terms of investment for the ambitious route.

Prabhu has clearly said that funds for such projects will be raised through extra budgetary resources, which means that the railway ministry will invite private parties to invest. A similar memorandum of understanding has been already signed between the Jaigarh Port ltd and Konkan railway to construct a rail line that will connect the port with Dingni railway station. The project is worth Rs 1,100 crore, wherein the Jaigarh port will be investing Rs 770 crore.

Sources close to the development confirmed that the railway ministry is also searching for a similar private partner for the Kolhapur-Vaibhavwadi railway line, which can be connected to Vijaydurg port.

In the meantime, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd has also submitted a proposal to construct a 30-bed budget hotel in Sawantwadi, which would benefit many passengers. The proposal is under consideration, but minister of state for home (rural) Deepak Kesarkar, who is a local, has shown keen interest in following it up with the state as well as railway officials.