By IANS,
Raipur : Chhattisgarh Monday signed a deal with the Indian Railways for developing three rail corridors in the state’s poverty-hit northern region that has roughly one-fifth of the country’s total coal reserves.
The memorandum of understandings (MoU) between the two for developing 452-km long new rail lines in seven economically backward but coal-rich districts, was signed in New Delhi by Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Sunil Kumar and Railway Board chairman Vinay Mittal.
The project, which will be a boon for the predominantly tribal people living in northern area, is to be developed on public-private partnership model. The rail corridors would be developed over the next five years with Rs.4,500 crore investment.
Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Singh also attended the MoU signing ceremony.
Officials here say that the proposed three rail corridors will immensely improve passenger and freight rail services in districts where dozens of companies are either setting up major coal-fired power plants or are expanding their production capacities.