Indian Railways okays Rs 440 crore project for 3rd line on high-density route

Indian Railways approved a ₹440 crore project to construct a 14.52 km third line between Nimpura West Outer Cabin and Midnapur in South Eastern Railway. The project aims to reduce congestion, boost freight capacity, and improve passenger and goods movement on a high-density corridor

New Delhi: Indian Railways has approved the construction of a 14.52 km third line between Nimpura West Outer Cabin and Midnapur in South Eastern Railway at a cost of Rs 440 crore to enhance capacity on this busy corridor, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

The project forms part of Indian Railways’ continued efforts to augment network capacity on high-density routes to facilitate faster movement of passenger and freight trains while supporting the growing transportation needs of industries and essential commodities, the statement said.

---

Upon completion, the project is expected to facilitate additional freight traffic movement of 3.52 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The section forms part of the High Utilisation Network (HUN-2) route, where the Nimpura West Outer Cabin-Gokulpur section is presently a single line, while doubling works are already in progress.

The additional third line will substantially augment line capacity and improve operational flexibility on this strategically important corridor, the statement explained. The route carries substantial volumes of passenger as well as freight traffic transporting key commodities including manganese, iron ore, containers, coal, clinker, pellet iron, iron and steel, wheat, stone, sleepers, slag, salt, rice, petroleum products, limestone, gypsum, fertilisers, edible oil, chemical salt, charcoal, cement, ballast and ash, with an overall freight loading of nearly 23.80 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).

The existing section is operating at a line capacity utilisation of 115.71 per cent, indicating severe congestion. The third line will create additional capacity to accommodate growing passenger and freight traffic while improving operational efficiency across the corridor.

The enhanced infrastructure will improve movement of essential commodities, reduce operational bottlenecks, increase network reliability and strengthen connectivity for industries and businesses dependent on this important rail corridor.

The approval reflects Indian Railways’ sustained focus on capacity augmentation across high-density routes, enabling faster movement of freight and passengers while supporting economic growth through a modern, efficient and future-ready railway network, the statement added.