Maharashtra: MRIDC receives green signal from govt towards participation in Gauge Conversion of Nagpur (Itwari) – Nagbhid Rail Line Project

MRIDC has started Narrow Gauge to Broad Gauge Rail line conversion work between Itwari and Nagbhid in Chandrapur District. The corporation has also planned to provide a chord line to WCL Coal Fields in Umrer.  

Mumbai: In the Cabinet meeting, held on 25^th June 2020, Govt. of Maharashtra has agreed to participate in the gauge conversion work of Nagpur (Itwari) – Nagbhid Railway line. Further to the already accorded ‘In Principle Approval’ (IPA), the Railway Board has sanctioned Nagpur (Itwari) – Nagbhid Guage Conversion project with estimated cost of Rs. 1,400 Crores vide their letter dated 30.10.2019.The long pending demand for the conversion of last remaining narrow-gauge line between Itwari to Nagbhid (116 km)into a Broad-Gauge line on SECRwill now be implemented byMRIDC (MahaRail). With this remarkable achievement, the Corporation aims to fasten the construction work and complete the project in less than 21 months. 

Nagpur – Wardha and Nagpur- Gondia routes are saturated and over utilized. Out of the 628 km narrow gauge network under Nagpur division of SECR, only Itwari -Nagbhid was pending for conversion. With the Broad-Gauge Conversion work, MahaRail has planned to provide a Chord line to WCL coal fields.  This will allow economical and safer coal movement to various thermal plants in this region.

The main aim of this project is to expedite the coal movement from the coal mines and reduce congestion on the existing route. Nagpur (Itwari) and Nagbhirwere directly linked by a Narrow-Gauge Railway network via Umrer and by two Broad Gauge Railway networks via Wardha and Gondia.

Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal, Managing Director of MRIDC (MahaRail) informed that,” To start the work on this route, MRIDC has closed the entire section from Nagpur (Itwari) to Nagbhidfor Narrow Gauge traffic movement in December 2019. All the clearances have been taken and designs are ready. The plan to connect the RailLine to coal mines in Umrer will also become an alternative to passenger trains as well as direct link to north south bound freight trains.”MRIDC is going to use the latest technology for track installation which will expedite the progress with the help of NTC machine. New stations buildings in this project are also planned to be designed as per latest specifications.

Project Specifications:

Significance of the project:

• Converted Broad Gauge Line will be operational for goods as well as passenger trains with lot of environmental and financial benefit.
• It will reduce the coal rake movement time from present 22 hrs to 4 hrs.
• It will facilitate decongestion of Nagpur, Kalumna, Itwari, Ajni and Wardha Railway yards. Thus, facilitating running of shuttle passenger trains in and around Nagpur.
• The movement of coal rake from captive mines of MAHAGENCO at Chandrapur to Koradi will also be facilitated by reduction in travel time.
• Conversion of existing Narrow Gauge to Broad Gauge shall reduce the congestion in these routes and enable energy efficient and faster movementof cargo supply in this region.
• The proposed project will be of immense benefit to MAHAGENCO in procurement of coal from Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) mines located in Umred& Chandrapur district in the state of Maharashtra near Nagpur, which is in close proximity to various Thermal Power Plants in the Nagpur region.
• The other major plants which will be benefited are Koradi Thermal Power Station (KTPS), Khaperkheda Thermal Power Station(KPKD), Adani Power Maharashtra Ltd, Tirora (APML, Tirora), Mauda Super Thermal Power Station or NTPC Mauda.
• Alongside rolling out Board Gauge line, the route would also be electrified, thereby, ensuring faster movement of goods as well as passenger trains on the route.
• Once completed the Nagpur (Itwari)-Nagbhir section would ease congestion on the Wardha-Sewagram-Nagpur route as it has become over saturated.

List of Stations:

The Nagpur (Itwari) -Nagbhid section has 06 crossing stations, 02Terminal stations and 11 passenger halt stations.

About MahaRail

Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDC or MahaRail) is a Joint Venture of “Government of Maharashtra” and “Ministry of Railways” on 50:50 basis with an objective to provide a boost to the Rail Infrastructure Projects in the state of Maharashtra by providing critical connectivity and capacity enhancement. MRIDC’s aim is to identify the traffic potential of different regions of the state including rail connectivity to the neighboring states and to find out economically viable projects and to implement them with fast track quality construction and commissioning.

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