Massive Investment and Progress for the Itarsi-Nagpur New 3rd Line Project

In a significant development for the railway sector, the Itarsi-Nagpur New 3rd Line project is making substantial strides towards completion. This crucial transportation infrastructure initiative has witnessed impressive financial allocations and physical progress, aiming to enhance connectivity and reduce congestion in the region.

With a total estimated cost of ₹2449.91 Crores, the project has already seen expenditures amounting to ₹1035.70 Crores. This financial commitment underscores the government’s commitment to improving rail infrastructure in the country.

Key Project Highlights:

• Overall Physical Progress: The project has reached an impressive 40% completion rate.
• Length: The new 3rd line stretches over a substantial distance of 279.28 kilometers.
• Length Commissioned: A significant portion of 93.95 kilometers has already been commissioned, providing improved connectivity.
• Remaining Length: The project’s remaining segment amounts to 185.33 kilometers.
• Land Acquisition: Land acquisition efforts have reached a commendable 76.84% completion, covering 76.27 out of 99.25 hectares.

Project Phases: A) Completed Sections: A substantial 93.95 kilometers, equivalent to 33.64% of the project, has already been successfully executed. This includes the Kohli-Chichonda section.

B) Near Completion Sections: An additional 11.68 kilometers, equivalent to 4.1%, are on the cusp of completion, with the Kohli-Kalmeshwar section likely to be finished this year.

C) In-Progress Sections: The largest portion of the project, covering 191.42 kilometers or 68.54%, is actively being worked on, including the Chichonda-Itarsi and Nagpur-Kalmeshwar sections.

Significant Achievements:

• Earthwork Including Blanketing: A commendable 43% of this critical work has been accomplished, amounting to 44 out of 103 Lcum.
• Important Bridges: With 3 bridges currently under construction, the project is making steady progress.
• Major Bridge + Rail Over Rail Bridge: 12 out of 34 bridges have been successfully executed, achieving 36% completion.
• Minor Bridge/Rail Under Bridge (RUB): A substantial 23% of this work is already completed, encompassing 89 out of 382 structures.
• Station Building: Progress is evident, with 30% of the planned stations already established, accounting for 9 out of 30.
• Track Linking: A commendable 28% completion rate has been achieved, covering 80 out of 280 track kilometers.
• Overhead Equipment (OHE) Foundations: An impressive 16% of the OHE foundations have been laid, amounting to 1066 out of 6666.
• OHE Mast Erections: 970 out of 6060 OHE masts have been erected, representing 16% completion.
• OHE Wiring Track km: The project has accomplished 17% of OHE wiring for the track, encompassing 50 out of 280 track kilometers.

The completion of this new 3rd line is set to significantly reduce congestion along the Nagpur-Itarsi-Bhopal route, ultimately enhancing the mobility of trains and ensuring smoother transportation services for passengers and freight.

Central Railway’s Progress:

• Central Railway (CR) is actively pursuing the expansion and improvement of rail networks, having completed 147.77 kilometers of multitracking, including new lines, doubling, 3rd, and 4th lines during the current fiscal year from April 2023 to date.
• With an ambitious financial plan of ₹3886.95 Crores for new lines, doubling, 3rd, and 4th line projects, CR is dedicated to modernizing rail infrastructure.
• CR has already expended ₹2983.47 Crores in the pursuit of its goals, emphasizing its commitment to enhancing railway services in the region.

The Itarsi-Nagpur New 3rd Line project and Central Railway’s broader expansion efforts signify a significant step forward in transforming rail connectivity and infrastructure in India. These developments are poised to have a lasting impact on the efficiency and capacity of the railway network.