BHUBANESWAR: Amid significant growth in passenger travel, Indian Railways has drawn up an ambitious infrastructure upgradation plan to double the originating train capacity at three major stations under East Coast Railway (ECoR), including, Bhubaneswar, Puri and Visakhapatnam, by 2030.
The infrastructure enhancement includes terminal expansion, creation of new satellite stations, development of large-scale maintenance facilities and strengthening of sectional capacity through modern signalling and multitracking works.
ECoR sources said, the strategy focuses on augmenting existing terminals and developing new terminals in and around urban areas to balance traffic load. Major emphasis is being laid on setting up mega coaching complexes and modern maintenance depots to support the expanded train operations.
Sectional capacity will also be enhanced through traffic facility works, signalling upgrades, flyovers, bypass lines and additional tracks to ensure smooth handling trains. To support increased train volumes, multiple projects, including automatic block signalling and flyovers in Puri, pit line electrification, safety fencing, fourth lines and bypass surveys in Bhubaneswar and several third, fourth, fifth and sixth lines, flyovers and bypass projects in Visakhapatnam are going on.
“The capacity-doubling initiative is a part of a nationwide plan covering 48 major cities identified by Indian Railways. Nearby stations will also be taken into account while planning capacity enhancement at the three cities so that the overall network capacity is evenly distributed and operational bottlenecks are avoided,” said a railway spokesperson.
At Puri, two additional full-length integrated pit lines are under construction and the upcoming lines will supplement the existing six pit lines. The entire coaching maintenance facility will be shifted to a second coaching terminal depot on the sanctioned Puri-Konark new line, for which a final location survey has been proposed. A large-scale coaching complex is also planned on this new line to cater to future traffic growth, particularly during peak pilgrimage and tourist seasons, railway sources said.
The Bhubaneswar New Station is being developed as a satellite coaching terminal. It will be supported by a maintenance facility comprising two pit lines at Mancheswar with dedicated rail connectivity. Similarly, a detailed project report (DPR) for extensive yard modification at Visakhapatnam is under consideration by the Railway Board. The proposal includes five additional lines, six new passenger platforms, 10 stabling lines and the introduction of electronic interlocking to enhance safety and operational flexibility.
Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “We are expanding coaching terminals and enhancing sectional and operational capacities in various cities to meet rising passenger demand and reduce congestion. This move will upgrade the country’s railway network and improve nationwide connectivity.”