The Nagpur division of Central Railways is aiming to augment its freight loading capacity from 50 million tonnes to 90 million tonnes by 2030, in line with the objective of the Indian Railways’ future revenue generation and business development vision.
A major infrastructural overhaul of around nine goods sheds, including an auto hub, will kickstart shortly at different locations.
The Indian Railways, which nationwide loaded around 1,600 million tonnes of freight this revenue cycle, has set a target to enhance the freight loading capacity to around 3,000 million tonnes by 2030. Railway authorities across divisions are engaged in developing infrastructure to support the additional freight management, eyeing a major revenue increase.
In CR’s Nagpur division, with budgetary allocations of around Rs 100 crore, work is expected to begin soon at the goods sheds at Ballarshah, Betul, Chandrapur, Parasiya, Tadoli, Khirsadoh, Maramjhiri, and Mukatban. At the Ajni goods shed, a 5,000 sq metre auto hub parking shed is likely to be constructed.
An additional full-length goods shed line will be added along with terminal facilities at Ballarshah goods shed, with budget allocations of more than Rs 10 crore for the facility augmentation. The labour merchant room and adequate drainage facilities will also be provided. The goods sheds at Ballarshah witnessed around 599 outward rakes of freight in the last financial year.
The Mukutban goods shed facility will also see a major facelift with budgetary allocations of Rs8 crore, which will include concrete platform surfaces, six high mast lights for better illumination, and other basic facilities for the workers and merchants.
Around Rs27 crore will be spent to upgrade the Tadali goods shed, with four goods lines to come up along with signalling and goods platforms for the movement of full rakes. The warehouse cover shed and approach roads will also be constructed.
Around 204 outward rakes left with freight from Tadali during the last financial year.
Around Rs14 crore will be spent to improve various facilities at Khirsadoh goods sheds, which include the concretisation of loading and unloading platform surfaces, approach roads with proper illumination, warehouses, and boundary walls with safety measures, among other facilities.
Similarly, CR’s Nagpur division will also spend around Rs13 crore to convert the half goods line to a full one with a goods shed platform at Maramjhiri. Around Rs9 crore will be spent in the Chandrapur goods shed too, where a 14,000 sq metre platform surface will be developed for freight loading and unloading. Betul goods sheds will also witness an overhaul of the platform surfaces of around 10,000 sq metres, along with other provisions, with budgetary allocations of around Rs7 crore.
Senior divisional commercial manager, Nagpur Division, Central Railways, said that tenders have been awarded for each head and the work is expected to start soon.
