The Hindu Business Line : Maoist problem hits iron ore movement

Load factor
K-K line handling 8-9 rakes/day where it can handle 15-16 rakes.
In the first half, ECoR’s traffic throughput was 43 mt.
Freight loading in other areas under ECoR almost normal.

Our Bureau

Kolkata, Nov. 6 The movement of iron ore rakes on the 450-km long Kirandul-Kottavalasa (K-K) line has been hit due to the Maoist problem.

“For about a week now, we’ve been forced to clamp restriction on the rake movement, particularly during the night, in view of the threat by the Maoists,” a spokesman for East Coast Railway (ECoR) told Business Line over the phone from Bhubaneswar.

“As a result, we’re now handling on the route around eight to nine rakes a day on an average whereas we can handle up to 15 to 16 rakes,” he said.

It might be noted that the iron ore movement on the K-K line has been hit several times in the past few months due to various problems.

Short of target

ECoR, as the spokesman pointed out, should now load 11,000 wagons (in terms of four-wheelers) a day to reach a freight target of 96 million tonnes (mt) set for the current fiscal.

However, the current daily loading rate on an average was 10,300 which, though higher by 2,000 wagons as compared to last year’s average, fell short of the average targeted for the remainder of the current year.

In the first half, ECoR’s traffic throughput was 43 mt which was four mt more than that in the same period of last year but less than the targeted 45 mt set for the period.

“We should have no problems in meeting this year’s target if the movement on the K-K line becomes normal,” he said.

“National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) too is ready to load more rakes a day”, he added.

The ore raised from NMDC mines at Bailadila are transported along the K-K line, partly to meet domestic requirement and partly to Visakhapatnam port for exports.

Backloading

The freight loading in other areas under ECoR, as the spokesman indicated, was almost normal.

Almost, because the second iron tippler at Paradip port was still to start regular functioning.

“We would like to send at least eight iron ore rakes a day to the port so that we can backload as many rakes but that is not possible now,” he said, pointing out that only six rakes on an average were being sent to the port.

ECoR, however, as it was pointed out, was deploying BOBR rakes, used for transporting thermal coal to the port for coastal shipment to Tamil Nadu, also for backloading — one rake a day on an average for moving imported coal to the Kanhia plant of the National Thermal Power Corporation.

Loading rate

The loading at Visakhapatnam port, after recent dislocation caused by the inclement weather, was now normal with daily average loading of rakes coming to 18.

At Daitari-Banspani area, the major iron ore belt of Orissa, ECoR was geared to load four rakes a day but unable to do so because of the restriction at Paradip port.

“We’re now loading two rakes a day on an average, one each for export through Paradip port and for domestic consumption,” the spokesman added.

The coal loading at Talcher mines of the Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd has improved to reach the level of 24 rakes a day.

“If this average can be maintained, we’ll have little to worry,” added the spokesman.

Related Stories:
Kirandul-Kottavalasa rail line not yet functional
Blockade hampers iron ore traffic on East Coast Rly

More Stories on : Railways | Terrorism | Minerals

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