IMPROVEMENT IN FREIGHT SERVICES BY RAILWAYS

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Indian Railways is running scheduled time container goods trains (CONTRACK) with target transit time. To improve reliability of transit, scheduled delivery of goods, improved handling and passenger safety, Indian Railways has taken the following steps. i) Induction of better type of rolling stock, both for freight and coaching ii) Induction of high horse power locomotives iii) Modernisation of signaling and communication systems. iv) Strengthening and improvement in track structure by induction of concrete sleepers, heavy rails and mechanised maintenance etc. v) introduction of FOIS(Freight Operation Information Systems), a computer based network. vi) Strengthening of terminals vi) mechanisation of handling of consignments During the current Financial year, total allocation under rolling stock is Rs.3919 crores and approximately Rs.20 crores have been allocated for works costing more than 50 lakhs connected with improvements of freight terminals. Rs. 5304.72 crores has been earmarked for safety related plans. This information was given by Shri O.Rajagopal, Minister of State for Railways in a written reply to a question by Shri G.Mallikarjunappa in the Lok Sabha today.