Indore: Mhow-Sanawad GC: major alignment Failure exposed during GM WR visit

Indore: With how responsibility and vision railway officials and engineers draw the alignment of the projects fully exposed during the visit of the General Manager (GM) of Western Railway (WR) on Thursday, when he exposed a major failure in drawing the alignment in gauge conversion (GC) project of Mhow-Sanawad section. Engineers draw the alignment over the catchment area of reservoir of a bam build next to Patalpani. This will not only lead to delay prolonged already delayed project but also waste of time and money also.

GM of WR AK Gupta had reached to the city from Mumbai to have inspection of the Mhow-Sanawad section, Mhow and Indore railway station on Thursday morning. Gupta directly reach to Mhow railway station and did inspection of the ongoing development work there. Thereafter along with the officials he left for inspection of the alignment drawn for gauge conversion of the Mhow-Sanawad section by road. When he reach to village Benkka 14 km away from Patalpani and next to Choral Dam, where engineers brief about the alignment passing through on the ground.

GM Gupta was surprised to know that the alignment is passing through the land which falls in catchment area of the dam. The major threat from this alignment is that in the monsoon always there will be changes of getting damage of the track from the water coming towards the dam. This fact angered GM, and he came down heavy on the officials on the spot on their style of working and how keeps ground positions in mind while drawing the alignment. He instructed officials to draw an alignment away from the catchment area. However, GM’s smartness exposed the typical careless style of working of responsible railway officials and engineers.

Later at the city railway station while interacting to media GM Gupta admit that alignment failure was made by engineers due to which the proposed track was passing through the catchment area of the reservoir of the Choral Dam. He said that he has instructed officials to correct the alignment and draw it avoiding the catchment area of the reservoir. He also said that in the complete span of the track there is government, forest and some private land is also there.

By the next week renewed proposal of acquiring the forest land would be sent to the forest department. He expressed hope that after getting the land from all parties, the track commissioning would be completed in next 5 five years. In the next block of Sanawad-Khandwa the GC work is going on in full swing and expected to complete by March 19. Gupta said that remaining development work at Mhow railway station would be completed in next one and half month and thereafter Mhow-Sanawad section would be blocked for trains operation.

Indore-Dhar section ready in 2.6 years

While talking about the Indore-Dahod new line project, GM informed that a tunnel of 2.5 km long is coming in the alignment of the section between Tehi and Dhar. The tender for the project is likely to be floated very soon. From that point there is no hurdle upto Dhar, where land acquisition is also almost completed.

Thus we are hoping that Indore-Dhar section of the project would be ready in next 2.6 years. He also informed that next section from Dhar to Alirajpur track commissioning is about to complete.

Indore-Ujjain doubling

The track doubling of about 89 km long Indore-Ujjain section via Dewas is also likely to start very soon. Gupta said that GC work of Fatehabad-Ujjain section is also underway. Replying about the need of the new railway station in the city, he said that there is no space, thus we are developming Mhow railway station as a satellite railway station of Indore.