New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) In a major push to enhance capacity and strengthen rail connectivity, Indian Railways has approved the Adipur-Bhuj Doubling Project in Gujarat’s Kutch Region with an investment of Rs 493 crore and also gave the go-ahead for the Rs 172 crore Somtane–Chikhli Chord Line project in Maharashtra to decongest Panvel Junction, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.
The 49-km double line project in Gujarat will enable two additional passenger train services to run in each direction every day and another 12 million tonnes per annum freight movement on the Adipur-Bhuj section of Western Railway, the statement said,
The project has been approved under the Indian Railways’ ongoing programme for capacity augmentation through doubling, tripling and other network enhancement works to support the anticipated growth in both passenger and freight traffic in the Kutch region.
The Adipur-Bhuj section, presently a single-line route on the Gandhidham-Naliya corridor, is expected to witness substantial growth in traffic due to several railway infrastructure projects already under execution in the region. These include the Bhuj-Naliya Gauge Conversion, extension of the Naliya-Vayor line, and new railway lines connecting Naliya-Jakhau, Vayor-Lakhpat, and Deshalpar-Luna.
With these projects nearing completion, significant additional passenger and freight traffic is expected to be routed through the Bhuj-Adipur section. The doubling project has therefore been sanctioned to ensure adequate capacity, improve operational efficiency and cater to future traffic demand.
Similarly, the construction of the Somtane-Chikhli Chord Line (3.7 km) on Central Railway at a cost of Rs 172 crore will bridge a critical missing rail link between Chikhli on the Karjat route and Somtane on the Roha route. It will provide seamless connectivity between the Karjat and Roha corridors without requiring trains to enter the congested Panvel Junction or undergo engine reversal.
Panvel is one of the busiest railway junctions in the Mumbai region, handling traffic from four major directions including Roha, JNPT, Karjat and Diva. The absence of a direct chord connection between the Karjat and Roha routes currently results in operational constraints and congestion, as trains are required to pass through Panvel Junction. The approved chord line will provide a direct connection, helping streamline train operations and improve network efficiency.
The new chord line is expected to facilitate movement of an additional nine million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of traffic after completion. It is also expected to save approximately 110 minutes of detention time per freight train, significantly improving turnaround time and logistics efficiency.
The project is particularly significant for freight traffic associated with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, which handles nearly 60 per cent of India’s container traffic.
At present, freight trains operating between the Karjat, Jasai and Roha corridors are required to enter Panvel Junction and undergo engine reversals before proceeding further. With the commissioning of the Somtane-Chikhli Chord Line, freight trains will be able to bypass Panvel, resulting in substantial operational benefits.
Indian Railways has also given the go-ahead for the rebuilding of a Road Over Bridge (ROB), popularly known as Shastriya Bridge, in Indore Yard at a cost of Rs 139 crore, according to the official statement.
The bridge will improve urban transportation infrastructure and enhancing rail-road connectivity in Madhya Pradesh. The project has been sanctioned under Indian Railways’ ongoing programme for construction and modernisation of road over bridges, road under bridges and related infrastructure aimed at improving mobility and safety at railway crossings.
