7.4km flyover sanctioned to ease train traffic congestion at Khurda Road

BHUBANESWAR: There is good news for those who travel on trains that pass through

Khurda Road station

. The ministry of Railways has sanctioned a 7.41 km-long

flyover

to ease traffic congestion by reducing the detention of trains at the station.
Now,

Bhubaneswar-bound trains

coming from Puri will create a surface crossing at Khurda Road junction station. This prevents the simultaneous movement of trains from Bhubaneswar towards Visakhapatnam and from the south towards Bhubaneswar on the mainline at Khurda Road station.
Once this flyover is commissioned between Motari Halt and Khurda Road station, the simultaneous movement of Bhubaneswar-bound trains from Puri and south-bound trains from Bhubaneswar can happen together.

As a result, trains from Puri and the south towards Bhubaneswar and from the Bhubaneswar direction towards the south will not be detained.
Khurda Road station is a major junction that handles various train movements. The construction of this flyover, with an estimated cost of Rs 191.87 crore, will facilitate simultaneous movements of trains in the Bhubaneswar-Berhampur and Khurda Road-Puri rail sections.

It will provide dedicated infrastructure for trains from Puri to connect to the down line towards Bhubaneswar without crossing other lines at Khurda Road station. This will solve the delay of trains and operational inefficiencies, said the official statement of the East Coast Railway (ECoR).
ECoR had earlier proposed the construction of this flyover bridge. This project, set to be executed under the Energy Corridor Scheme of the Indian Railways, is a vital step towards enhancing the efficiency and capacity of train movements in this busy section, said the official sources.

The new flyover will eliminate detentions on account of cross-movements, improving the average speed and operational efficiency of trains in both the Howrah-Chennai main line and the Khurda Road-Puri branch line. Mainline trains will no longer be detained at Khurda Road station, significantly reducing the waiting period for trains approaching this busy junction.
“Indian Railways is committed to improving its infrastructure across the country. This new flyover at Khurda Road is a crucial step towards reducing congestion and enhancing the efficiency of train operations,” said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.