Jeypore: Work on the doubling of railway tracks between Koraput and Jagadalpur of Chhattisgarh began Monday with several officials of a consultancy firm visiting the Koraput-Jeypore-Jagadalpur route.
Culverts and level-crossings would be laid by the railways in the first phase and a firm from Jagadalpur has been awarded the work. Earlier, the railways had declared about the doubling of this 110-km route which comes under the Visakhapatnam division of East Coast Railway. The ministry has made a plan layout of `1,839.02 crore for the project to be completed by 2022.
It aims at getting more revenue from goods and passenger trains which would run between Jagadalpur-Visakhapatnam and Jagadalpur-Rayagada routes. While the project would cover 12 stations, 194 bridges would be constructed in the route.
Several stations are needed to be upgraded under the project including – Naktisemla, Amaguda, Ambagaon, Kotpad Road, Charmula Kusumi, Khadapa, Dhanpur, Jeypore, Chhatriput, Maliguda, Jarati and Manbar. However, the laying of tracks is expected to be delayed on a stretch of 14 km between Chhatriput-Manabar as Maliguda tunnel is located between these two stations. The ministry has decided to divert the route through Giriliput to overcome the problem.
It was learnt that the ministry emphasises on fast completion of the doubling work in the wake of the proposed steel plant by MMDC at Nagarnar in Chhattisgarh between Jagadalpur and Kotpad stations. Besides, the Centre is keen to complete the project as soon as possible as Dantewada and Jagadalpur under Bastar division and several regions under Koraput division are severely affected by Maoist activities.
The doubling work between Jagadalpur and Kirandul with a budget of `1,143 crore is at preliminary stage while the ministry has sanctioned the Koraput-Kotabalasa doubling project. It was learnt that Kiandul-Kotabalasa route generates about `6,000 crore of revenue per annum and doubling of all routes is a thrust area for the ministry.
All Koraput-bound trains would be extended up to Jagadalpur once the doubling of routes is completed, officials said. PNN
