New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) The Union government has sanctioned infrastructure and capacity augmentation projects worth Rs 895.30 crore, aimed at strengthening metro rail systems and enhancing railway bridge safety, the Ministry of Railways said on Saturday.

According to the Union government, of the total outlay, projects worth Rs 671.72 crore have been approved to upgrade the power supply system of the North–South Corridor of Kolkata Metro Railway.

The works include the provision of seven new traction substations at a cost of Rs 291.06 crore, along with augmentation and upgradation of auxiliary and traction substations between Esplanade and Kavi Subhash, the Ministry added.

Moreover, the project involves upgrading the power system from 11 kV to 33 kV in certain elevated sections.

Built in the 1980s, the Kolkata Metro system was originally designed to support train operations at intervals of about five minutes.

“With the proposed upgrades, the corridor will be able to operate at a reduced headway of 2.5 minutes, significantly enhancing capacity and service frequency,” the Ministry said.

Separately, a project worth Rs 223.58 crore has been approved for strengthening bridge infrastructure in the Adra division under South Eastern Railway that includes construction of substructure for ‘Bridge No. 520’ on both up and down lines between Madhukunda and Damodar, along with associated yard remodelling and track works.

The existing Damodar bridge was constructed in 1903 and 1965 for down and up lines respectively, has aged significantly and required to reconstruction of its foundation and substructure, according to the government.

The section forms part of a key freight corridor connecting Asansol and Tatanagar and serves as an important coal route with high traffic density.

The project is expected to enhance safety, reliability and operational efficiency, while also supporting industrial activity in the Durgapur–Asansol belt.

The Union government said the projects are part of its broader push towards modernisation, improved safety, and capacity expansion to meet growing transport demand.

–IANS

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