SECR exploring new route to Southern India via Gadchiroli, orders final location survey

By Sagar Mohod

South East Central Railway (SECR) is exploring option of opening new route to Southern direction of country through remote Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. A survey is commissioned for linking Gadchiroli in Nagpur Division with Bhanupratappur in Raipur Division, a distance of 135 kms. The route when completed would provide an alternative route to Visakhapatnam, one of the busiest ports of the country in South-Eastern part and ease pressure on the existing railway network that is bursting at the seams.

Railways is very keen on laying the new line and Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, while approving the survey, had said that the route should be constructed using internal resources, said Sr. Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr. DCM), SECR, Nagpur Division, Ravish Kumar Singh.

Singh said a meeting was held at New Delhi in month of May where officials from SECR also were present. They briefed the minister about the Gadchiroli-Bhanupratappur route and explained its importance. The railway officials also explained commercial and social benefits that might accrue to the organisation in long run. The minister was quite impressed and he immediately approved the survey and within two months SECR completed process and issued tenders for the same indicating importance attached to the new line. Gadchiroli is rich in minerals and SECR is keen to provide rail connectivity to evacuate the resources for its commercial uses by industry.

Recently, iron ore from Surjagad mine was being dispatched by Central Railway for use in Mumbai area.

Singh, while talking to The Hitavada, added that one more reason for grant of nod by Railways of new route was that Gadchiroli was isolated and as per new policy these places were targeted for opening new development vista. Plus an alternative route with port connectivity has been an added advantage.

Bhanupratappur lies on Dallirajhara corridor that moves towards Durg, the main line of Mumbai-Howrah route. Already the usage on the mainline is nearly 150 per cent growing even as new corridor are being laid but the growth and target to SECR makes it imperative to search for new routes. He felt that with linking of Gadchiroli with North-South grid through Nagpur and Mumbai-Howrah line of Railways would open new window of opportunities for growth in one of the most backward regions of State.

Singh said, primarily it seems the new line would not infringe major portion of forest, it may just be possible that the route may just brush thorough the outer boundary, but the formidable challenge would be crossing the mighty Indravati river that divides Gadchiroli district with neighbouring Kanker in Chhattisgarh. Hence the final location survey would provide the challenges that lies ahead for the Railways in inter-connecting Maharashtra with neighbouring Chhattisgarh through the remote area.

SECR is keen on utilisation of hybrid modern survey technology using drones for the final location survey and around Rs 3 crore estimate is prepared for the same. Besides the agency also has to carry out soil testing to find as that would determine the type of construction technique to be utilised for the new railway line. Apart from survey, SECR has also asked for detail drawings and submission of estimated cost of the project.

Already work on Wadsa-Gadchiroli new line is under way but the progress is very slow. Railways and Maharashtra Government are footing the expenditure on 60:40 ratio to build railway network in the tribal dominated district that also has rich forest cover. With start of commercial mining in Gadchiroli, the earlier projection of negative returns has undergone a sea change and now railway route in the region would be profitable venture, feels the officials.