The Hindu Business Line : Iron ore movement affected

Movement of iron ore rakes on the 450-km long Kirandul-Kottavalasa (K-K) line passing through Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh came to a halt from Thursday morning following the blowing up of electric transmission towers, reportedly by the Maoists, in three Chhattisgarh districts of Jagdalpur, Dantewara and Bijapur, according to the East Coast Railway (ECoR) sources.

The power supply to the line remained suspended as a result.

ECoR, it is learnt, is totally in the dark about probable restoration of supply and, therefore, resumption of normal movement on the route.

K-K line vulnerable

It might be recalled that last year also around this time, the blowing up of transmission towers in Chhattisgarh crippled rail movement on the K-K line for two weeks.

The movement on the K-K line has been irregular for some time now.

Last month, ECoR had to restrict movement for a few days following intelligence reports that an Islamic militant group might target the stations and the railway property on the route.

Ore movement

For the past few days, the iron ore movement was again restricted during the night as the Maoists declared to observe the Martyrs’ Day from June 5 to 11.

In normal situation, on an average 42 rakes — 14 loaded with iron ore and another 28 or so empty rakes, move on the K-K line every day.

The loaded rakes transport iron ore from Bailadila mines of the National Mineral Development Corporation to Visakhapatnam, largely for exports through the port and partly for Visakhapatnam Steel Plant of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd. In 2007-08, an estimated 12 million tonnes of traffic moved on the route, the sources add.

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