Ranchi-Delhi direct rail track to be ready by 2014

The Ranchi-Lohardaga-Tori railway line would be completed by 2014, says the Railways. The project has been delayed by a year. Once the rail tracks are laid completely it would facilitate faster route between Ranchi and New Delhi. The newly-laid railway tracks between Ranchi and Tori would shorten the route to Delhi, said General Manager of South Eastern Railway (SER), Abhay Kumar Verma. Currently the trains need to undertake a circuitous journey to Delhi via Ramgarh and Barkakana.

The laying of the rail lines are almost complete despite the fact that it faced some hurdles. Only around 30-odd km work is pending, the general manager said on Thursday. The Maoists have time and again prevented the progress in the construction work on the 100 km railway line from Ranchi.

The project is of Rs 347 crore and work for laying the railway line had begun in 2007. The tracks have been laid up to Badkichapi, 83 km from Ranchi. Another 35 km rail line would connect it to Tori. Verma, who was on an informal visit to the Ranchi railway division, held review meetings with Ranchi DRM and other officials at the DRM's office at Hatia.