The Hindu Business Line : Consultant soon to study Kolkata rail traffic

Required tasks
How to achieve relocation and consolidation of the existing freight terminals within and outside city.
Has to suggest measures to ease yard constraints and achieve optimisation of line capacity on Howrah-Burdwan chord line and on main line up to Burdwan.

Our Bureau

Kolkata, May 13

The Railway Board has finalised the terms of reference for engaging a consultant for undertaking an integrated planning for passenger and freight traffic likely to be generated in greater Kolkata region by 2030, according to the Railway Board sources.

Traffic projections

In addition to making future traffic projections and O-D (origin-destination) flows for freight and passenger traffic (suburban, non-suburban and metro), the study will be required to suggest how to achieve relocation and consolidation of the existing freight terminals within city as well as outside in view of congestion on both rail and road routes.

It is felt that under Eastern Railway, there is a need for a new terminal beyond Barasat on the eastern bank of the Hooghly river.

Shifting modalities

Also, the modalities for shifting the existing freight traffic currently handled at the Eastern Railway’s Cossipore Road, Chitpur, New Alipore and other city terminals to Dankuni and the South Eastern Railway’s Shalimar goods terminal to Sankrail should be studied.

Shalimar is to be turned into an integrated passenger terminal.

Optimisation of services

Right now, the Eastern Railway and the South Eastern Railway, both Kolkata-headquartered zonal railways, undertake planning and implementation of passenger projects independent of each other.

The study, therefore, will be required to suggest how to achieve optimisation of the existing infrastructure for passenger services as a single entity for handling additional suburban services from Howrah keeping in view the future development of Howrah into a world class station and long distance services from other stations particularly the new Kolkata terminal which, it is indicated, is to be developed into a mega integrated passenger terminal by shifting the adjacent Chitpur and Cossipore goods terminals to new locations.

The consultant has to suggest measures to ease yard constraints and achieve optimisation of line capacity on Howrah-Burdwan chord line and on main line up to Burdwan. The scope of integration of the present Metro Railway and Circular Railway and future East-West Corridor being planned by the West Bengal Government to provide integrated metro services and to link these services with main line passenger terminals is one of the terms of reference of the proposed study.

The consultant has to provide a complete logistics solution and, if necessary, to hold discussion with the State Government for providing road connectivity and proper public transport system.

The studies undertaken in this regard in the past may also be reviewed, it is suggested.