Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated historic railway line and passenger train service in insurgency infested Kanker district in North Bastar.
The Prime Minister gifted the long-awaited link on the auspicious occasion of birth anniversary of architect of Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar at village Jangla in Bijapur district via video-conferencing.
The railway track links Dallhirajhara in Balod district to Bhanupratapur in North Bastar.
The track is part of the 235 kilometres rail project linking Dallhirajhara -Ravghat-Jagdalpur.
Modi congratulated the citizens of the State while flagging-off the passenger train from Bhanupratapur-Gudum. With the inauguration of new rail line, North Bastar (Kanker) is now linked to Durg-Raipur directly.
The Prime Minister referred to this rail link at his mammoth public meeting at village Jangla and expressed his happiness over the rapid developments. The running of passenger train is manned by all-women crew.
The daughters are operating a train in Jangla- Station Master, loco pilot, guard and T.T are women, he said.
Thousands of people at the Bhanupratapur railway station cheered and clapped when the Prime Minister gave green signal to the passenger train.
Significantly, the Rowghat-Jagdalpur Rail line project will also be helpful in reduction of distance by about 260 kms and facilitate NMDC ltd in the cost competitiveness of iron ore supplies in Raipur region, officials informed.
This railway line will also be helpful for the company's upcoming Steel Plant project at Nagarnar in Bastar for inward and outward traffic and also provide a better customer connectivity for Iron Ore and Steel customers, they informed.
Notably, NMDC is also participating in the Rowghat-Jagdalpur Rail line project as a major stake holder with 43% share along with SAIl, IRCON & Govt. of Chhattisgarh being other stake holders with 21%, 26% & 10% respectively.
On the other hand, Chhattisgarh government would be earmarking suitable land banks in the vicinity of Dallirajahara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur Rail Corridor for setting up of small industrial units, officials informed.
Notably, the Steel Authority of India ltd (SAIl) is co-ordinating the construction of Railay line from DaIlirajhara to Rowghat covering a distance of 95 km with Indian Railways in Chhattisgarh.
The project for doubling of Railway line between Kirandul and Jagdalpur in Chhatisgarh’s insurgency ridden Bastar region is expected to be complete by January 2019, official sources informed.
Notably, NMDC ltd had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union Ministry of Railways on December 21, 2012 and the aforesaid project would be helpful in significantly augmenting evacuation capacity of NMDC’s Bailadila Sector mines by rail from the existing 28 MTPA to 40 MTPA of iron ore.
NMDC had deposited an amount of Rs 150 crores with East Coast Railway and the expenditure incurred as on March 31, 2015 was Rs 132.00 crore, sources informed.
For execution of the project, the Railways has divided the 150 km length of doubling work into three Sections namely, Jagdalpur to Silakjori 45.50 km, Kirandul to Gidam 52.23 km and Silakjori to Gidam 52.73 km.
Notably, the Rs 2000 crore Rowghat to Jagdalpur railway line would also pass through heavily insurgency infested Kondagaon and Narayanpur districts of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
The project is a joint venture between Chhattisgarh government, NMDC, SAIl and IRCON.