Railways clear Rs922 cr Nag-Nagbhid project

Nagpur: In a major move ahead of model code of conduct for general elections, the ministry of railway on Monday sanctioned Rs922 crore gauge conversion project between Nagpur and Nagbhid (106km).
Work on long-pending gauge conversion project is expected to start soon with inauguration expected in a couple of days. The project will be done on 50:50 sharing basis between state and the South East Central Railway (SECR). The project was announced in 2013-14.

Of the Rs922 crore, Rs673.84 crore have been earmarked for civil works, Rs182.42 crore for electrical, and Rs65.74 crore for signalling works.

The broad-gauge project is basically to ease transportation of coal to power plants in the region. After completion, it is expected to save Rs152 crore of Mahagenco annually due to reduction in transport distance of coal to the company’s power plants from the mines in Chandrapur district. The new line will also provide an alternative route for passenger trains from Nagpur towards south.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in 2017 cabinet meeting had approved over Rs354 crore for the project and the money was to be allocated in respective budgets.

Of the 628km narrow gauge network under Nagpur division of SECR, only Nagpur-Nagbhid is pending for conversion. The project faced lot of hurdles as it envisaged huge cost. When the project was announced its estimated cost was Rs401 crore. In 2013, the state had agreed to share Rs188.11 crore of the tentative project cost.

However, as per the Railway Board’s advise the abstract cost of the project was revised to Rs708.11 crore based on the project’s terms of reference (TOR) which included additional cost of gradients, bridges, signalling, mechanical, electrification etc. However, now the cost has been finalised at Rs922 crore.