Doubling of 44.40 km Mansi-Saharsa section approved
Indian Railways has sanctioned a project worth Rs.432 crore for the replacement of relay-based interlocking with Electronic Interlocking (EI) at 27 stations/cabins (including 1 IBS location) on the ‘High Density Network’ (HDN) and ‘Highly Utilised Network’ (HUN) routes of Asansol Division of Eastern Railway http://irctc.co.in.
The sanctioned work includes the replacement of 28 relay-based interlocking installations (27 PI/RRI and 1 IBS) with state-of-the-art Electronic Interlocking systems, significantly enhancing the safety, reliability and operational efficiency of train operations, the Ministry of Railways said on 30 June.
The project forms part of Indian Railways’ ongoing programme for the provision of Electronic Interlocking on HDN/HUN routes where advanced signalling systems such as Kavach, Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) and Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) are being implemented.
Electronic Interlocking is a modern signalling technology that replaces ageing relay-based systems with computer-based interlocking, ensuring higher reliability, faster fault diagnosis, easier maintenance and enhanced operational flexibility. The project will further strengthen railway safety while supporting higher line capacity and more efficient train operations on one of the busiest sections of the network, the Ministry added.
The Railways has also approved the doubling of the 44.40 km Mansi-Saharsa section of East Central Railway at a cost of Rs.499 crore. The project will augment line capacity, improve operational efficiency and cater to the growing demand for passenger and freight movement on this important route.
The Mansi-Saharsa section is presently a single-line corridor on the Mansi-Saraigarh route, handling heavy passenger and freight traffic. The section operates 24 pairs of passenger trains in each direction while also facilitating transportation of essential commodities such as wheat, maize, ballast, boiled rice, cement, fertilisers, rice, salt, sand, stone and sugar.
The current line capacity utilisation has already reached 108.11% and is projected to increase to 119.34% by 2028-29, underscoring the urgent need for additional rail capacity.
The doubling project will create additional line capacity, enabling smoother movement of both passenger and freight trains while reducing operational bottlenecks. The enhanced infrastructure will improve punctuality, increase operational flexibility and support future growth in rail traffic across the region.
Upon commissioning, the project is expected to facilitate handling of an additional 1.764 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) of freight traffic, strengthening logistics for agriculture, construction and other key sectors of the regional economy.
The project forms part of Indian Railways’ continued efforts to expand capacity on high-demand routes, improve service reliability and support faster, safer and more efficient transportation for passengers and freight across the country, the Ministry said.
Furthermore, the Railways has approved the provision of Balance 48-Fibre Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) across South Eastern Railway at a cost of Rs.200 crore, providing a robust, high-capacity communication network for railway operations.
It will enhance the reliability and resilience of communication systems, support faster transmission of operational data, and improve coordination between stations, control offices and field units.
The project will provide 48-fibre OFC connectivity over 1,696.2 Route Kilometres (RKm) across four major divisions of South Eastern Railway, reinforcing the communication network that supports safe, efficient and technology-driven railway operations.
The project will also provide the necessary communication infrastructure to support modern railway technologies, improve operational efficiency and strengthen the digital foundation for future capacity expansion across the South Eastern Railway network. fiinews.com
