ROURKELA: The Rourkela Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has renewed the demand for setting up a short-distance freight corridor between Kalunga and Lathikata to ease rail traffic congestion at the steel city on the busy Howrah-Mumbai main line of South Eastern Railway (SER).
RCCI members recently handed over a memorandum to Sundargarh MP Jual Oram requesting him to take up the demand with the Railway Ministry. Since long, the RCCI and a host of other outfits have been demanding for the corridor. Sources said the freight corridor proposal envisages the development of new railway facilities in and around Rourkela besides giving a boost to economic activities in the region.
RCCI president Sunil Kayal said due to encroachment, there’s little possibility of the fourth line getting laid through Rourkela any time soon. Besides, new trains are not getting introduced due to the prevailing heavy rail traffic through Rourkela railway station.
There is already an electrified double track between Bondamunda and Bimlagarh via Lathikata for the movement of minerals. The proposed short-distance freight corridor of 18 km from Lathikata to Kalunga would make the movement of goods easier and cost-effective. The new line would also reduce load on Bondamunda marshalling yard, which is India’s second largest in handling bulk transportation, he said.
RCCI general secretary Pravat Tiberwal said in the event of Kalunga-Lathikata new line coming up, railway sidings could be set up at Birkera and Tumran to cater to the need of Rourkela and Kalunga industrial estates. It will also ensure shifting of the existing goods sheds from the densely-populated Malgodam area of Rourkela.
With the new rail line, the congested Bondamunda marshalling yard could be spared from receiving mineral-carrying goods trains. The two stockyard sidings of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) could also be shifted out of Rourkela to Lathikata to ease the city from the movement of heavy vehicles. Similarly, mineral-carrying goods trains can also enter RSP directly via Dumerta without reaching Bondamunda, opined Tiberwal.
Kayal further said if implemented, the Kalunga-Lathikata freight corridor would make Bondamunda marshalling yard congestion-free. The existing two electric and diesel locomotive sheds at Bondamunda could subsequently be upgraded into engine manufacturing hubs as was recently done at Dahod (Gujarat).
A delegation of RCCI has planned to meet Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the issue.