Kendrapara: A rail tower car was operated Saturday on a trial basis on the Haridaspur–Paradip rail route for the first time.
The objective was to inspect and maintain the overhead electric transmission equipment on the route. The trial run of the tower car indicated that people can see trains operating in the district, soon.
The rail tower car ran on the newly-constructed rail line to sort out problems on the 43.8 km long rail route from Haridaspur to Kendrapara.
The ARSS-SIPS (JV) executed the track linking (excluding supply of rails, thick web switches and PSC line sleeper) OHE, S&T and other works from Haridaspur to Kendrapara, said Suvendu Kumar Dandapat, the Project Manager of ARSS-SIPS.
The tower car left from Haridaspur to Kendrapara’s Bajapur station in the presence of railway officials who were present to check details.
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited awarded to ARSS-SIPS (JV) the execution of the track linking OHE, S&T and other allied works from Haridaspur to Kendrapara March 3, 2017. Officials said 98 per cent of the work has been completed and in two or three months the track will be ready.
Package-2 tender work on the Haridaspur-Paradip rail project has been started by KEC International, said Dandapat.
The 82-km long Haridaspur-Paradip railway line project, whose foundation stone was laid 20 years back, is expected to be completed in December. The line will benefit Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by then Railway Minister Nitish Kumar April 4, 1999. It was sanctioned in 1996-97, and was supposed to be completed by 2004.
The project gathered pace after it received funds of Rs 200 crore from Union Budget 2017-18.
The project cost was estimated at about Rs 1,500 crore earlier. But it jumped to Rs 1,800 crore later. Once complete the distance between the Daitari-Banspani iron ore belt and Paradip port will be reduced by half.
PNN