Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to enhance railway safety and increase train speeds, the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned Rs 275.01 crore for safety fencing along tracks in the Bhadrak-Palasa and Khurda Road-Puri Railway Sections of the Khurda Road Division under East Coast Railway (ECoR), official sources said, Tuesday. ECoR sources said the project will facilitate the safe operation of trains at speeds up to 130kmph and beyond. The Ministry of Railways has decided to construct boundary walls nearer to the tracks.
The current plan involves installing fencing at the boundary of railway land, with the actual distance to be determined by the zonal railway authorities based on site conditions, maintenance requirements, multi-tracking works, the level of trespassing and the overall effectiveness of the proposed fencing. The initiative also aims to seal the entry to track at level crossings, ROBs (flyovers), RUBs (underpasses), bridges and other critical locations requiring access control.
Apart from this, cattle grazing near rail will get restricted to the railway line. This will also provide smooth traffic movement and prevent loss of livestock and wildlife. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has recently informed in Lok Sabha that safety fencing would be strategically implemented at vulnerable locations to support plying of Vande Bharat trains at speeds between 110kmph and 130kmph.