NAVI MUMBAI: The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, which has completed its silver jubilee, plans to spend Rs 100 crore every year to upgrade facilities at stations along its 741-km route traversing four states.

The plan includes setting up facilities such as computerized reservation centres, escalators, CCTV surveillance, bio-toilets, Wi-Fi, solid waste management, disaster management centre, call centre, energy conservation and ATMs. Konkan Railway will also implement mega projects like Ratnagiri district's Jaigad Port connectivity, which costs Rs 750 crore.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, Konkan Railway CMD Bhanu Tayal said, "At seven stations, conventional toilets have been replaced by bio-toilets for disposing human waste. We will soon have similar toilets in railway compartments to avoid dirtying tracks. We have replaced the yellow sodium lights inside tunnels with energy efficient LED lights as we concentrate on solid waste management and energy conservation."

"Two mega projects in the offing—the doubling of tracks and electrification—require an estimated Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 750 crore. Once we switch over to the electric mode from the diesel operations, Konkan Railway is expected around Rs 100 crore per annum. Track doubling will allow an increase in train services from the present 60 to 120. While these projects will take five years for completion, initially, LIC of India will give us loan of Rs 250 crore for 10 years and IIFCL Rs 1,100 crore. Tenders will be invited soon," he said.

"Another two projects in the pipeline are Chiplun-Karad and Vaibhavwadi-Kolhapur railway lines. These projects will cost Rs 3,000 crore and the state has assured us Rs 450 crore."

On the 35-km-long project in J&K, Tayal said it was on the verge of completion with only 5 km of tunnel remaining. "We plan to have transparent coaches so that passengers can enjoy the route beauty. Each coach will cost Rs 5 crore," he added.