The Hindu Business Line : SER spots 3 projects to boost freight traffic

SOUTH Eastern Railway (SER) has identified at least three projects for immediate implementation to boost its freight traffic. These are doubling of the track on the Rajagora-Haldia stretch of the Panskura-Haldia section, laying of a third line between Panskura and Kharagpur and doubling of the network between Banspani and Dongapashi covering the iron ore belts of Orissa and Jharkhand.

While the work on doubling of line on the 20-km stretch between Panskura and Rajagora stretch of the Panskura-Haldia section, has been taken up at a cost of about Rs 30 crore, no fund has yet been provided for doubling the remaining 40-km stretch between Rajagora and Haldia. The cost of the work on the 40-km stretch is estimated to be more than Rs 200 crore, as it will involve construction of a rail-to-rail flyover. The doubling of line between Panskura and Haldia, SER sources feel, is urgently needed to boost the volume of traffic on the route to around 25 million tonnes (mt) annually from the present 12 mt.

Currently, there is a third line between Howrah and Panskura on the Kharagpur section, and SER wants it extended from Panskura to Kharagpur, covering a distance of about 50 km. The estimated cost is Rs 150 crore.

The doubling of the 35-km long Banspani-Dongaposi section is estimated to cost Rs 100 crore. Once completed, it will immediately benefit Tata Steel, and others subsequently. For example, the Tata Sponge Iron plant located Murgamahadeb will stand to benefit and so will the Jindals who are planning to set up a two million tonnes per annum iron and steel plant.

Work is also in progress for the construction of a bypass line at Rajkharswan at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore to facilitate direct movement of ore beyond Jharsuguda. Once completed, the throughput is to double to 12 million tonnes annually, it is estimated.

There is a proposal to construct a third line between Goelkhera and Monoharpur in the Chakrdharpur division over a stretch of 40 km to boost dispatches of iron ore from Chiriya mines. The estimated cost is Rs 190 crore. Although sanctioned, the work has not yet been taken up.