Indian Railways has sanctioned the construction of a 14.52 km third line between Nimpura West Outer Cabin and Midnapur station for Rs 440 crore, aiming to bolster South Eastern Railway’s freight handling capacity. This development is part of the High Utilisation Network (HUN-2) route, where the Nimpura West Outer Cabin–Gokulpur section currently operates as a single line with ongoing doubling works.
The addition of the third line is expected to significantly increase line capacity and enhance operational flexibility along this crucial corridor. South Eastern Railway manages a substantial volume of passenger and freight traffic in this section, which currently operates at 115.71% line capacity utilization, leading to severe congestion.
The new line will cater to the transportation of various key commodities such as manganese, iron ore, coal, containers, and more, with an annual freight loading of nearly 23.80 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA). Once operational, the project is projected to accommodate an additional freight traffic of 3.52 MTPA, thereby improving overall operational efficiency and easing congestion.
Indian Railways emphasized that this initiative is part of its ongoing efforts to enhance network capacity on high-density routes, facilitating smoother movement of both passenger and freight trains. The upgraded infrastructure is expected to streamline the transportation of essential goods, reduce operational challenges, enhance network reliability, and bolster connectivity for industries and businesses reliant on this vital rail corridor.
