Prime Minister Dedicates Railway Projects worth about Rs 6,350 Crore to the Nation in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh | 16 Sep 2023

Why In News?

• On September 14, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the nation's railway projects worth about Rs 6,350 crore in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh.

Key Points

• These railway projects include Chhattisgarh Eastern Railway Project Phase-1, the third railway line between Champa to Jamga, the third railway line between Pendra Road and Anuppur and the MGR (Meri-Go) connecting Talaipalli coal mine to NTPC Lara Super Thermal Power Station Round) system.
• These rail projects will accelerate socio-economic development in the region by facilitating the movement of passengers as well as freight.
• Phase-1 of the Chhattisgarh Eastern Rail Project is being developed under the ambitious PM Gatishakti-National Master Plan for Multi-Modal Connectivity and includes a 124.8 km rail line from Kharsia to Dharamjaigarh. It consists of a spur line to Ger-Pelma and three feeder lines connecting Chhal, Baraud, Durgapur and other coal mines.
• Built at a cost of approximately Rs 3,055 crore, the railway line is equipped with electrified broad gauge level crossings and free part double line with passenger amenities. It will provide rail connectivity to transport coal from Mand-Raigarh coal fields located in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh.
• The third rail line between Pendra Road to Anuppur is 50 km long and has been built at a cost of approximately Rs 516 crore. The 98 km long third line between Champa and Jamga railway section has been built at a cost of approximately Rs 796 crore. The new rail lines will improve connectivity in the area and increase tourism and employment opportunities.
• The 65 km long electrified MGR (Merry-Go-Round) system will provide low-cost transportation of high-grade coal from NTPC's Talaipalli coal mine to the 1600 MW NTPC Lara Super Thermal Power Station in Chhattisgarh. This will promote low cost and reliable power generation from NTPC Lara, thereby strengthening the energy security of the country.
• Along with this, during the program, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of 'Critical Care Block' with 50 beds in 9 districts of Chhattisgarh.
• Under the Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), nine critical care blocks will be built in Durg, Kondagaon, Rajnandgaon, Gariaband, Jashpur, Surajpur, Surguja, Bastar and Raigarh districts, the total cost of which will be Rs 210 crore.
• In order to address the health problems arising from sickle cell disease, which is particularly prevalent among the tribal population, the Prime Minister distributed one lakh sickle cell counseling cards to the screened population.
• It is noteworthy that Sickle Cell Counseling Cards are being distributed under the National Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Mission (NSAEM), which was launched by the Prime Minister in July 2023 in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh.