Indian Railways has given the green light for the construction of a 14.52 km third line between Nimpura West Outer Cabin and Midnapur in South Eastern Railway at a cost of Rs 440 crore. This initiative aims to boost capacity along this busy corridor, as stated in an official announcement on Thursday. The project is part of Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to increase network capacity on high-density routes, facilitating quicker movement of passenger and freight trains to meet the transportation demands of industries and essential goods.
Upon completion, the new line is anticipated to support an additional freight traffic movement of 3.52 million tonnes per annum. This section is part of the High Utilisation Network (HUN-2) route, where the Nimpura West Outer Cabin-Gokulpur section is currently a single line, with ongoing doubling works. The addition of the third line is expected to significantly enhance line capacity and operational flexibility on this crucial corridor, according to the statement.
The route is a vital transporter of various commodities, including manganese, iron ore, coal, containers, wheat, and more, with an annual freight loading of nearly 23.80 million tonnes. Operating at a line capacity utilisation of 115.71 percent, the existing section faces severe congestion. The introduction of the third line will create extra capacity to accommodate the increasing passenger and freight traffic, thereby enhancing operational efficiency along the corridor.
The upgraded infrastructure will facilitate the movement of essential goods, alleviate operational bottlenecks, enhance network reliability, and bolster connectivity for industries and businesses reliant on this significant rail route. This approval underscores Indian Railways’ sustained commitment to augmenting capacity on high-density routes, enabling swifter movement of freight and passengers, and supporting economic growth through a modern and efficient railway network.
