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To cut delays in movement of cargos, and improve <keyword id="530146" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="economic-activities">economic activities</keyword> and create jobs, the government has decided to develop 44 <keyword id="6381514" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="highways">highways</keyword> as “<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Economic+Corridors&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Economic Corridors</a>”, stretching 27,000 km in total. 
 
The stretches will connect all the major hubs of economic activities. With government exploring funding options, including road development cess, loans from agencies and also private investment, the new plan is expected to be completed within six years. 
 Feeder routes will also be developed to these <keyword id="1951475" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="economic-corridors">economic corridors</keyword> in about 15,000 km. According to sources, to link the 44 economic corridors and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Golden+Quadrilateral&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Golden Quadrilateral</a>, 40 interconnecting corridors will also be developed. These corridors will carry 80% of the country’s freightage. National highways will be rebranded as national corridors, economic corridors and feeder roads. 
 "Most of these identified stretches are already part of the <keyword id="3650466" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-highway-network">national highway network</keyword>. We need to provide seamless connectivity. The main aim is to provide wider roads for cargo vehicles and necessary facilities and also to equip them with 100% electronic tolling system," a ministry official told TOI. 
 
All these identified stretches will be made into four to six lanes with facilities such as truck lay-by, parking lots and logistics parks."There will be no congestion point throughout the stretches," the official further added. 
 
According to a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=NHAI&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">NHAI</a> official, some of the identified corridors will be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Mumbai&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Mumbai</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Kolkata&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Kolkata</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Pune&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Pune</a> to Vijayawada, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Jaipur&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Jaipur</a> to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Jaipur&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Indore</a>, Tuticorin to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=+Kochi+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Kochi </a>and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Bengaluru&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Bengaluru</a> to Nellore. 
 
According to NHAI sources, an investment of at least Rs 6 lakh crore will be required by these packages.

Govt has come up with the biggest highway expansion plan. Here it is

Travelling around the wonderland that is India is a thrilling experience, especially when fast-moving super <keyword id="168020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="expressways">expressways</keyword> are right here to ensure some wonderful on-the-road vacations. Of course there are business travellers who are in a hurry to reach their destinations and <keyword id="2053038" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Super-fast-expressways">super fast expressways</keyword> minus traffic snarls suit them down to the ground. But then, you can be one of those away on a leisure trip and looking forward to a fast and panoramic drive on your way to a new city. Either way, the expressways of India won’t disappoint you. As we mentioned before, expressways are controlled-access highways like the freeways or motorways or autobahnen in the US and Europe, essentially designed for high-speed traffic. As of now, most of the expressways in India are 6-8 lane toll <keyword id="6358996" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="roads">roads</keyword> and cover a total distance of nearly 1,208.19 km. 
 
Last month, we brought you <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/8-Super-ExpresswaysIn-North-India-That-Fulfil-Your-Need-For-Speed/articleshow/29486214.cms">8 super expressways</a> in North India that fulfil your need for speed. And this time, we move to the West and the North-west of the country where some more picturesque drives await us. However, the <keyword id="52840" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sea-links">sea links</keyword> and the <keyword id="2053055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Coastal-expressways">coastal expressways</keyword> will come up in our next article. So grab a coffee, get a map and read on. By the time you are through, you could be checking the map and picking out the spots where you want to go first. As the Turkish playwright <keyword id="1981629" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mehmet-Murat">Mehmet Murat</keyword> ildan has said: Some roads are so beautiful that you know not whether you travel on the road or the road travels in you! 
 
Image: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Open Roads Return: 6 Super
Expressways In West & North-west India

Even in this age of jet travel and space tourism, highways hold an irresistible charm for travellers out to have an up, close and personal experience of the wide roads stretching ahead for miles, uninterrupted views of a breathtaking landscape, the occasional flyways and the not-so-familiar villages and towns rushing by. It’s even better than chugging along the countryside in a train. You can stop any time you want – to sample some chatpati chaat and a steaming cuppa of chai at a roadside dhaba; to talk to people; to take a dekko at local interests or simply laze an hour or two in shine or rain with the greens around you and the fresh smell of soil floating in the air. 
 
Now that our <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Chugging-Up-7-Mesmerising-Mountain-Train-RidesIn-India/articleshow/24288850.cms">train series</a> is over (but we promise to bring you more as soon as new and exotic routes come up), we are back with a more exciting roadmap of <keyword id="168020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="expressways">expressways</keyword> that criss-cross the entire country, connecting the four metros and many of the Tier I cities, and going much beyond the urban landscape. Infrastructure development in India has undergone a sea change over the past few years and the country currently boasts the <keyword id="2034191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Second-largest-road-network">second largest road network</keyword> in the world, with a road length of over 4,689,842 km, as per 2013 data from the <keyword id="6404450" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Road-Transport-and-Highways">Ministry of Road Transport and Highways</keyword>. 
 Starting from FY2012-13, the <keyword id="44734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword> will be also putting $17 billion over the next five years, being sourced through public-private partnership (<keyword id="6361580" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="PPP">PPP</keyword>) road projects. This will be used by the <keyword id="87432" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Highways-Authority-of-India">National Highways Authority of India</keyword> (<keyword id="49448" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="nhai">NHAI</keyword>) for the planned series of <keyword id="174913" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="BOT">BOT</keyword> (build, operate and transfer) highways. In spite of several bottlenecks, the NHAI has set up impressive targets and aims to develop 20 km/day, in a bid to fast-track the country’s <keyword id="2034194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Road-network-expansion">road network expansion</keyword>. 
 As of July 2013, <keyword id="6373156" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Highways">national highways</keyword> account for 79,116 km, connecting all major cities and state capitals. Expressways, however, differ a bit in the sense they are controlled-access highways like the <keyword id="610047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="freeways">freeways</keyword> or <keyword id="1333990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="motorways">motorways</keyword> or autobahnen in the US and Europe, essentially designed for high-speed traffic. As of now, most of the expressways in India are 6-8 lane <keyword id="120837" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="toll-roads">toll roads</keyword> and cover a total distance of nearly 1,208.19 km. India expects to add another 3,530 km of expressways by 2014 as projects under construction get completed. Another massive programme is also under way to expand the network and the Indian government plans to add an additional 18,637 km of expressways by 2022. 
 So are you ready to emerge on another breath-taking <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> with us, literally a journey of thousand miles and more? We will bring you the super expressways zone-wise – so that you know which route to choose when travelling North or South, East or West. And it will be a beautiful journey as art and cultural critic <keyword id="2034192" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dave-Hickey">Dave Hickey</keyword> so rightly said – Beauty is and always will be blue skies and open highway. 
 
Image: Wikimedia Commons

8 Super Expressways
In North India That Fulfil Your Need For Speed

State-owned <keyword id="20039950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Petroleum-Corporation" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharat Petroleum Corporation" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Bharat Petroleum Corporation">Bharat Petroleum Corporation</keyword> plans to invest Rs 1.7 lakh crore over the next five years to grow its core oil refining and fuel marketing business as well as in 'future big bets' of <keyword id="20115883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petrochemicals" source="keywords">petrochemicals</keyword> and <keyword id="19895435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-energy" source="keywords">green energy</keyword>, its chairman G Krishnakumar has said. At present, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (<keyword id="19908646" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="BPCL" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BPCL" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BPCL">BPCL</keyword>) owns about 14 per cent of India's oil <keyword id="20064251" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="refining-capacity" source="keywords">refining capacity</keyword> and about a quarter of the fuel retailing network. It plans to grow these businesses while foraying into newer areas. The firm is now implementing the first phase of a multi-decade aspirational journey in the form of '<keyword id="22826627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="project-Aspire" source="keywords">Project Aspire</keyword>' - its five-year strategic framework that is based on two fundamental pillars - 'Nurturing the Core' and 'Investing in Future Big Bets', he said in the company's latest annual report. "Our mid-term strategy is on a continuum. While we remain committed to growing our core businesses, which include refining and marketing <keyword id="20037698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petroleum-products" source="keywords">petroleum products</keyword> and upstream, we are equally focused on our big bets comprising petrochemicals, gas, green energy, non-fuel retail, and digital. "Project Aspire, with a planned capex outlay of around Rs 1.70 lakh crore over five years, will enable us to create long-term value for our stakeholders while preserving our planet for future generations," he said. "A cornerstone of our long-term strategy, Project Aspire, with a Rs 1.70 trillion investment, marks the initial phase of our multi-decade odyssey to shape the energy of tomorrow. This, coupled with our robust balance sheet, fuels our ambition to lead the <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword>." The company is targeting net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2040. "BPCL has drawn a net-zero roadmap, which encompasses renewable power, green hydrogen, compressed biogas, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), efficiency improvement and the offsets procurements. This would require a phased capital outlay of approximately Rs 1 lakh crore till 2040, and the company is geared for the same," he said. The firm's bet on continuing investing in core businesses is based on the premise that India's booming economy will drive a 4-5 per cent annual increase in energy demand and petroleum product consumption. Also, the demand for major petrochemical products is expected to rise by 7-8 per cent annually. "This presents a strategic opportunity to expand refining capacity alongside the development of integrated petrochemical complexes," he said. BPCL is implementing new petrochemical projects at two of its three oil refineries. A Rs 49,000 crore ethylene cracker project is being implemented at the Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh, alongside raising oil refining capacity from the current 7.8 million tonnes to 11 million tonnes annually by 2029. A polypropylene project is being set up at Kochi refinery in Kerala by 2027. "To meet the anticipated demand beyond our planned expansions in Bina and Kochi, we are actively evaluating options for setting up additional integrated refining and petrochemical capacities within the next 5-7 years," Krishnakumar said without disclosing either the investments or the location of such a project. Andhra Pradesh is being speculated as the likely site after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and regional party TDP stormed to power in the state in recently concluded assembly elections. TDP has been demanding the implementation of a refinery-cum-petrochemical complex that was promised as part of the package when the state was split more than a decade back. "Our investment in the petrochemical project is consistent with our aspiration of becoming a dominant player in India's petrochemical growth story," Krishnakumar said. On energy transition, he said BPCL is targeting to build 2 gigawatts (GW) of <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword> capacity by 2025 and 10 GW by 2035. "We are investing nearly Rs 1,000 crore to establish two 50 MW captive wind power plants in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, which will support our refineries in Mumbai and Bina." The firm is also investing around Rs 300 crore in 72 MWp of solar project in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. "Concomitantly, we are executing green hydrogen projects aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission. These projects include a 5 MW electrolyser plant at Bina refinery and a green hydrogen refuelling station with an indigenously developed electrolyser at Kochi," he noted. BPCL, he said, is committed to supporting the transition to electric mobility through a robust and accessible charging infrastructure. The company has installed over 3,000 charging stations, including fast chargers for cars and two-wheelers. 900 fast chargers are installed across 120 highway corridors, which helps address the range, discovery and time anxiety of electric vehicle (EV) owners. "Over the next five years, we aim to install 4-wheeler fast chargers at approximately 6,000 retail outlets across 400 highway corridors, prioritising high-traffic corridors like the Golden Quadrilateral and N-S/E-W highways," he said. On biofuels, he said BPCL sells petrol with 20 per cent ethanol blend at 4,279 out of its over 22,000 petrol pumps. It is also building compressed biogas plants using municipal solid waste to make gas that can be used as CNG in automobiles. The firm is also exploring partnerships in the arena. "These combined efforts, along with the upcoming commissioning of a bio-ethanol refinery, positions BPCL as a key player in India's transition to a greener fuel mix, creating a robust ecosystem for the adoption of cleaner fuels across the country," he added. BPCL is establishing a corporate venture capital fund to invest directly in promising startups. "In order to thrive in this complex and challenging business landscape, we will leverage our agility and focus on operational excellence to ensure continued success. Safety and reliability will remain our top priorities, guiding all our actions. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance," he added. He said the energy sector of India stands at an inflection point. "The nation has an ambitious vision of becoming a USD 30 trillion developed economy by 2047. 'Viksit Bharat @2047' will necessitate an almost fourfold increase in primary energy demand." India's exponential growth trajectory will propel it to a pivotal role in the global energy market, accounting for roughly 12 per cent of world energy consumption by 2047. "The key strategic objectives for India in the energy sector will entail significant expansion in refining capacities, raising the share of gas in the energy basket from about 6 per cent to 15 per cent, establishing leadership in petrochemical exports, and sharply reducing energy imports from current levels of 47 per cent to below 25 per cent by 2030 and to zero by 2047," he said. India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity, sourcing half of its energy needs from renewables, reducing carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes and lowering carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 with the ultimate goal of net-zero emissions by 2070. "Building on its strong Indian energy presence, BPCL aspires to meet 7-10 per cent of the nation's primary energy demand by 2047," he said.

BPCL planning Rs 1.7 lakh crore spend to expand core business, new energy foray over next five years

The <keyword id="6355455" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-railways" source="Orion">Indian Railways</keyword> (IR) has set a target of 100 per cent electrification of its network by December 2023, said <keyword id="6354872" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-survey" source="Orion">economic survey</keyword> 2021-22. To achieve this target with creation of other infrastructure in the sector, the government has increased the CAPEX (Capital expenditures) by five fold in the last seven years. Union Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Monday tabled Economic Survey 2021-22 in the Lok Sabha. The survey claims that IR is targeting 100 per cent electrification of its network by December 2023, upgradation of Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata corridors to 160 kmph and also elimination of level crossings on the Golden Quadrilateral and Golden Diagonal routes. The CAPEX has been increased substantially for IR from an average annual of Rs 45,980 crore during 2009-14 to Rs 2,15,058 crore during 2021-22. "An average of 1,835 track km per year of new track length has been added through new-line and multi-tracking projects during 2014-2021 as compared to the average of 720 track km during 2009-14," survey said. It mentioned that safety of the passengers and safe upkeep of railways assets is the topmost priority of IR. "With a continuing focus on safety of passengers the number of consequential train accidents has come down from 59 in 2018-19 to 55 in 2019-20 (pre-Covid) and further to 22 in 2020-21," it said. In order to strengthen the agriculture sector, as on December 31, 2021, the railways has operated 1,841 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately six lakh tonnes of perishables items including fruits and vegetables. During FY21, IR carried 1.23 billion tonnes of freight and 1.25 billion passengers. "Despite Covid-19 pandemic, revenue earning freight loading (excluding loading by Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL) was 1230.9 million tonnes in 2020-21 as compared to 1208.4 million tonnes during 2019-20. Passengers originating were 1,250 million in 2020-21 as compared to 8,086 million in 2019-20," it said. In order to provide better amenities, the IR has embarked on providing Wi-Fi internet services at all stations (excluding halt stations) and as on December 5, 2021, total 6,087 Railway Stations have been equipped with the facility. In addition, projects connecting difficult terrain such as Rishikesh- Karnaprayag line as also the rail network to connect all capitals of north east states are ongoing. Further, a number of infrastructure development initiatives are envisaged in the National Rail Plan (NRP) being prepared by the Indian Railways. The plan envisages the creation of a future ready railway system that is able to not only meet the passenger demand but also increase the modal share of railways in freight to 40-45 per cent from the present level of 26-27 per cent. As per the National Rail Plan, the freight ecosystem is expected to grow from the present level of 4,700 MT to 8,200 by 2030. "At present the railway capacity is barely able to carry 1,220 MT which is around 26-27 per cent of the modal share. The Plan provides a pipeline of projects, which on completion will increase railway capacity to capture 45 per cent of freight traffic," the plan said. To prevent further bleeding away of modal share, railway capacity enhancing projects have been categorized as 'Super Critical' and 'Critical'. A total of 58 projects have been identified as 'Super Critical' and are targeted for completion by December 2022. About 68 projects have been identified as 'Critical' and have been targeted for completion by March 2024. "These projects are focused at increasing capacity on routes that serve major mineral, industrial hubs along with ports and major consumption centres," it said. "The next 10 years will see a very high level of CAPEX in the railway sector as capacity growth has to be accelerated such that by 2030 it is ahead of demand. As more projects are taken on hand and several sources of capital funding are developed, the CAPEX will increase further in coming years and the railway system will actually emerge as an engine of national growth," it added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/prime-minister-narendra-modi-mann-ki-baat-january-2022-does-not-mention-if-india-bought-pegasus-spyware/articleshow/89218666.cms">Simply put, the charge on the Modi government is that it lied to the Parliament about buying Pegasus spyware and it must respond</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/rupee-is-likely-to-weaken-against-the-us-dollar-in-2022-as-per-experts/articleshow/89218673.cms">Experts say the rupee is likely to weaken against the US dollar this year</a>

Indian railways target 100% electrification by December 2023

New Delhi, Jan 21 () In a first, state-owned gas utility GAIL India Ltd is ferrying imported LNG in trucks from Gujarat coast to Bhubaneshwar in Odisha as part of a government push for a gas-based economy to reduce emission and carbon footprint.
With gas pipelines yet to reach most parts of eastern India, GAIL has hired specialised cryogenic bullet trucks to transport imported liquefied natural gas from Dahej in Gujarat to Bhubaneshwar, where it is used as CNG to fuel automobiles and piped gas as cooking fuel in kitchens, company Chairman and Managing Director Ashutosh Karnatak said.
LNG is environment-friendly natural gas turned into liquid at minus 160-degree Celsius for ease of transportation in ships and trucks.
"We started transporting LNG through trucks from Dahej to Bhubaneshwar and have broken-even on the business," he told here.
It takes about a week for the LNG truck to move from west coast to the east and on reaching Bhubaneshwar LNG is regasified or converted back into its gaseous state at an LNG Satellite Station, which was set up at a cost of Rs 10 crore. Following regasification, gas is moved in cascades to CNG dispensing stations and piped natural gas fuelling points.
Gas so supplied is cheaper than alternate fuels such as diesel. LNG can also be used as a fuel directly in trucks and buses but there are only a handful of vehicles currently operating in the country using such fuel.
"Gas is a happy fuel. It not just cuts vehicular emissions (caused by use of liquid fuels such as diesel) but also is an environment-friendly replacement for coal," he said.
The government is targeting raising the share of natural gas in India's energy basket to 15 per cent by 2030 from the current 6.2 per cent.
Karnatak said the use of natural gas for generating power and producing fertilizers as well as fuel in steel and aluminum plants, besides city gas operations such as CNG to automobiles and piped cooking gas to households can help achieve the target.
Globally, natural gas constitutes 24 per cent of primary energy consumption. In Gujarat, the share of natural gas in its energy basket is 25-26 per cent because of a network of pipelines that takes the fuel from import or production source to consumption points.
Gas pipelines in India are presently concentrated in west and north, and GAIL is now laying new lines to the east, north-east, and south.
It will complete the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project, involving laying of a 2,655 km pipeline from Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh to Haldia in West Bengal, Bokaro in Jharkhand and Dhamra in Odisha by the year-end, he said, adding a pipeline in the south will also be expedited.
Karnatak said in absence of a national gas pipeline grid, transporting LNG through trucks has become a viable option.
"There has been demand from city gas operators in places such as Bhopal and its neighboring Mandideep, Indore, and Mangalore, where there are no pipelines to take gas, for supplying the fuel in LNG trucks," he said.
The government is planning a network of LNG fuelling stations along the 6,000-km golden quadrilateral highways connecting the four metros, he added.
GAIL is putting together a plan and persuading city gas distributors, gas suppliers, financiers, fleet owners, and truck manufacturers to help build an ecosystem for LNG-fuelled vehicles in the country.
"As many as 24 locations have been identified to set up LNG fuelling stations," he said, adding trucks and buses can ply up to 800/1,000 km on a full-tank of LNG.
A shift to LNG-powered trucks from diesel will cut pollution and turn Indian highways quieter. ANZ ANZ BAL
BAL

GAIL ferries LNG in trucks over 1,700 km to fuel gas demand in east

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/slideshows/sai/ask-disha/ask-disha-live-business-insider-india-2018/slideshow/66260507.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink"></a> <ul><li><keyword id="6355455" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-railways">Indian Railways</keyword> have plans to build a wall spanning over 3,000 kms to ensure safety of railway lines and keeping people accidentally wandering onto tracks. </li><li>The project is estimated to incur nearly ₹25 billion. </li><li>The wall will be 2.7 metres high to prevent cattle straying and dumping of waste. </li></ul>After the deadly mishap in Amritsar that killed 60 people, Indian Railways is planning to build a 3,000 kms wall that will secure the tracks and act as a safety fence for people, according to media <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/indian-railways-to-build-3000-km-wall-to-guard-tracks-keep-away-people-amritsar-train-accident-5452687/">reports</a>. The Railways has estimated the project to cost nearly ₹25 billion and is pursuing it on priority. The fence will be 2.7 metres high and will be made of concrete cement, said an Indian Express report. The height of the wall is aimed at keeping people away from railway lines for safety reasons and also prevent cattle straying onto the tracks. The height also won’t allow for dumping of waste on the railway lines. Increasing safety concerns. The Commission of Railway Safety has <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/indian-railways-to-build-3000-km-wall-to-guard-tracks-keep-away-people-amritsar-train-accident-5452687/"></a><a href="https://translate.google.co.in/translate?hl=en&amp;sl=hi&amp;u=https://www.amarujala.com/india-news/after-amritsar-mishap-indian-railways-will-build-3-000-km-wall-to-guard-tracks&amp;prev=search" data-type="tilCustomLink">reportedly</a> said that railway lines need to be walled to ensure safety for train speeds ranging to a 160 kmph. With increasing concerns over security, vulnerable areas such as the Golden Quadrilateral and its diagonals are also being planned to be walled. Earlier, different zonal railways in India had plans to fence certain problematic areas over 2,000 kms. According to reports, the project was slated to receive ₹6.5 billion from Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh,a special safety fund over the course of five years. The latest project of 3,000 kilometres will cover all the vulnerable areas. Over 49,790 people have been accidentally mowed down by trains in last three years, with a majority of accidents taking place in densely populated regions, <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/indian-railways-to-build-3000-km-wall-to-guard-tracks-keep-away-people-amritsar-train-accident-5452687/">according to</a> reports. Local residents have historically objected to the construction of walls. However, the recent Amritsar incident has put authorities on alert. Over 60 people were accidentally run over by a moving train when a huge group had covered a train track in the are to catch a better view of the local Dussehra festival celebrations. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/how-a-free-travel-insurance-offer-on-the-indian-railways-website-left-data-of-200000-passengers-exposed-to-hackers-for-two-years/articleshow/66604055.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">How a free travel insurance offer on the Indian Railways website left data of 200,000 passengers exposed to hackers for two years</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-railways-is-all-set-to-introduce-a-special-train-for-buddhist-travellers-across-globe/articleshow/66243095.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Indian Railways is all set to introduce a special train for Buddhist travellers across globe </a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/slideshows/sai/ask-disha/ask-disha-live-business-insider-india-2018/slideshow/66260507.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Ask Disha is live on IRCTC's website</a>

Indian Railways to build a 3,000 km safety fence to guard people and prevent accidents

On August 16th, a day after India’s 71st Independence Day, Atal Bihari <keyword id="40921" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vajpayee">Vajpayee</keyword>, the former Prime Minister, passed away in New Delhi at the age of 93. Vajpayee led the central government from 1998 to 2004, and till date is the only Indian Prime Minister from a party other than the Congress to complete a full term. The former <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> leader is set to be joined in this regard by current PM Narendra Modi, when the latter completes his term in May next year. Vajpayee has long been credited with moderating the BJP’s political position with his centrist <keyword id="35497" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="policies">policies</keyword> and socioeconomic reforms, thereby offering voters a viable national alternative to the Congress. A nine-time member of the Lok Sabha and two-time Rajya Sabha MP, he leaves a lasting legacy, and will be remembered for a slew of progressive and bold policies. Here are five of them:- Privatisation Vajpayee made privatisation a key component of his economic agenda when he set up the disinvestment ministry in 1999. Over the course of his tenure as PM, he oversaw the divestment of government holdings in more than 30 non-strategic public-sector companies such as VSNL, Maruti, Hindustan Zinc and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. What makes this policy all the more impressive is that Vajpayee had to overcome a considerable amount of opposition, not only from rival parties but from within his own Cabinet to implement it. Nuclearisation In May 1998, a month after his government came to power, Vajpayee ordered the commencement of five nuclear tests in Rajasthan’s Pokhran district. The move, which signalled India’s nuclear ambitions, drew the ire of Western powers, but it also highlighted India’s ability to defend itself from its neighbour Pakistan, which was building its own nuclear capability at the time. He always maintained that India would not use nuclear weapons first, stating that they would never be “weapons of aggression”. <keyword id="6354776" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telecom">Telecom</keyword> Upon his death, Vajpayee was hailed as “the father of modern telecom in India” by leaders in the industry. Under his National Telecom policy, which was introduced in 1999, Vajpayee opened up the sector and implemented a number of structural reforms such as making mobile service providers offer services on a revenue share basis as opposed to a fixed-fee arrangement. This led to a reduction in call rates, a dramatic surge in mobile subscribers and encouraged competition among telecom operators. Roads and infrastructure While Vajpayee was prime minister, he launched a number of massive infrastructure projects to develop India’s roads and railway network. His government approved and funded the operations of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, which completed the first phase of the Delhi Metro in 2006. He also championed the Golden Quadrilateral scheme, a project to link all four of India’s major urban centers - Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata - by highways. Most importantly, though, was his Pradhanmantri Gramin Sadak Yojna scheme to improve road connectivity in India’s rural regions. <keyword id="45865" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indo-Pak">Indo-Pak</keyword> relations and Kargil Vajpayee made a number of steps to cement ties with Pakistan, such as the establishment of the Delhi-Lahore bus service in February 1999. He took the bus to Lahore and met with Nawaz Sharif, who was the leader of Pakistan at the time. Their meeting culminated in the signing of the Lahore Treaty, which outlined the country’s plans to steer clear of nuclear warfare. The goodwill was shortlived, however. A full-scale war took place in Kargil the following June. In July 2001, Vajpayee pushed for a peace summit with his new Pakistani counterpart, Pervez Musharraf in Agra. An agreement never materialised over the course of the summit, but not for his lack of trying.

Here are 5 policies that former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be remembered for

Whenever NDA govt has been at the centre, roadways in India have worn the biggest smile. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana that was a major hit during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s reign has found a revamped blue print in Sethu Bharatam, Rashtriya Rajmarg Zila Sanjoyukta Pariyojana and Backward Area Highways schemes, thanks to <keyword id="6387077" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi-government">Narendra Modi government</keyword> this time. Not only the ambitious plans include improvement and up gradation of existing roads, new links to connect remote areas, building 350 railway bridges and level crossings are also on cards. 
 
As per a news report in The Economic Times, the idea is to create an extensive network of seamless, high-quality highways that would speed up movement of goods and ease passenger traffic. Sethu Bharatam has been conceived to provide such connectivity along national highways with the construction of 150 railway over-bridges and 204 level crossings in one year. Several highway projects have been stalled because such bridges haven't been completed. We have already started DPRs (detailed project reports) of these projects," <keyword id="613484" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Road-secretary">road secretary</keyword> <keyword id="790046" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vijay-Chibber">Vijay Chibber</keyword> told the ET. 
Chibber confirmed that the cabinet notes would be moved this week. Experts said the projects could change the connectivity landscape of the country. 
 The government has also drawn up a plan for a 2,000 km project to connect underdeveloped areas in states such as Uttar Pradesh, <keyword id="6355554" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Madhya-Pradesh">Madhya Pradesh</keyword>, Gujarat and Rajasthan to <keyword id="222693" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-National">the national</keyword> highway network. All these areas have been identified as part of a non-Naxal belt that needs urgent government attention. "These areas are sparsely populated and one of the reasons for poor development is lack of connectivity," Chibber said. 
 
Like the Golden Quadrilateral, a separate religious circuit is being planned to improve the connectivity of areas considered sacred to boost tourism. Religious centres such as Nanded and Katra are among those that will be connected by national highways as part of the 2,000 km project. The road transport and tourism ministries have prepared a coordinated action plan toward this end, says the ET report. 
 The road ministry was allocated <keyword id="6357455" type="EVENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Funding">funding</keyword> of Rs 42,913 crore in the FY16 budget, which won't be enough for what it has in mind. But funding isn't regarded as a constraint. While private investment is still not very forthcoming in the sector, the ministry is hopeful of a favourable response to its latest hybrid <keyword id="488576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="annuity">annuity</keyword> model. It expects at least 40-45 projects based on this model-60% of the project cost will come from private investors and the remaining 40% in five equal installments from the <keyword id="87432" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Highways-Authority-of-India">National Highways Authority of India</keyword>. 
 
The govt has also planned to build 30 km of highway per day by 2016-17. In the last one year, the government has managed to achieve an average target of 11 km per day after awarding 7,972 km of roads in FY15. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Modi government’s road to success: expect better connectivity to remote areas and religious places

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=development">Infrastructure development</a> is critical for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=economic+development">economic development</a>. It has a domino effect on the other sectors of the economy as it helps improve productivity by removing infrastructural bottlenecks, which impede <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=economic+growth">economic growth</a>. A developing country like India has to invest in the <keyword id="17408" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="infrastructure">infrastructure</keyword> sector for future growth. The push of the present government in improving infrastructure is thus a step in the right direction. In India Infrastructure typically includes projects done in a host of sectors. It includes sectors like roads, railways, airports, ports, dams, electricity, irrigation, telecom, water supply, sanitation systems, cross country systems and inland waterways. etc. 
 
The government cannot meet the needs of this diverse sector alone. The critical element thus is engaging the private sector in the improvement of infrastructure, as the government spending alone will not be enough to meet India's diverse infrastructure challenges. Restructuring PPP's (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Public-Private+Partnerships">Public-Private Partnerships</a>) is the viable method and the way ahead as it helps the public sector to regulate while allowing the private sector to invest in the growth story of the country. There are various models of PPP in India like BOOT, BOT, BOOST that can be leveraged. It will happen only when risk allocation is understood in detail both by public and private sectors. Some of the aspects of the infrastructure are elaborated here. Needless to say that the competitiveness of India would greatly be enhanced if the infrastructure sector is bettered. 
 
India has the second largest road network in the world at present, and much has been achieved post-1990's. The push through NHAI for connecting the four major metropolitan cities through national highways a project called 'golden quadrilateral' did a lot to improve connectivity. How're still a majority of the roads in India are rural roads. National Highways (NH) constitute just close to 1.9 percent of the entire network but carry 40 percent of the traffic on Indian roads. To better it, the Government plans to build 30 km of roads every day in the coming years. 
 
India has 13 major and approximately 200 minor ports spread across nine states in India. The Indian port capacity crossed the mark of 1 billion tonne in 2011. The performance of the non-major ports segment (which is a state subject) has improved considerably in the previous few years. The non-major ports segments, especially in states like Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, have done well. The NITI Aayog envisages an expansion of total port traffic from 1051 million tonne (MT) in 2014-15 to about 2,200 MT by 2019-20. Similarly, the thrust is now on inland waterways as this is a major area that has not been leveraged to the extent it has been in some other countries. 
 
The Indian Railways network is spread over some 64,000 km, with 12,000 passenger and 7,000 freight trains plying each day from 7,083 stations carrying around 23 million travellers and 2.65 million tonnes (MT) of goods daily. The recently released report of the 'Committee for Mobilisation of Resources for Major Railways Projects and Restructuring of Railways Ministry and Railway Board' proposes liberalization and further competition in the sector. The way forward is to have faster mobility options for people to improve the competitiveness of India. 
 
The power sector in India is also improving but still a more than 300 million people in India. The improvements post 1991, which opened up to generation from the private sector with amendments in 1991 to the electricity supply act have been robust. The improvements have resulted in generation capacity Increasing from 70000 MW to 275000 MW in 2015. Similarly, the renewable energy increased from 18 MW of generation capacity in 1991 to 35000 MW today. 
 
The way ahead for the infrastructure sector would entail working together of the public and the private sector as well as states and center to lessen the infrastructure deficit that presently ails India. A lot of hard work has already been put to overcome this, but a lot will have to be put to bring Indian infrastructure at par with world-class standards. 
 
(The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Competitiveness, India. Amit Kapoor is Chair, Institute for Competitiveness &amp; Editor of Thinkers. The views expressed are personal. Amit can be reached at <a href="mailto:amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in">amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in</a> and tweets @kautiliya) 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

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