Nation’s first elevated rail track to be operational by December 5

The foundation stone for the Rs 350-crore project in Rohtak was laid by CM Manohar Lal Khattar in March 2018

A view of nation’s first elevated rail track in Rohtak. File Photo

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, October 30

Having missed several deadlines in the past one year, the Railways have now fixed December 5 as a new deadline to complete the entire work of the nation's first elevated railway track in Rohtak City.

Sources said the electrification work was underway and it was likely to be completed by November 20. Thereafter, the final trial of electric train on this 4.8 km long track would be conducted while the track would be ready for operation by December 5.

Local residents have been eagerly waiting for completion of the work since the first trial run of goods train with diesel engine on the track was successfully conducted on August 19. The authorities were satisfied with the safety parameters and movement of the train on the track.

The foundation stone of the Rs 350-crore ambitious project was laid by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in March 2018 and a deadline of 18 months was fixed to complete it.

The project missed the first deadline in November 2019 due to encroachment on the one side of the track. The work could not also be completed before the second deadline on April 30 and third on June 30. The deadline was extended twice thereafter.

“We wanted that the work to complete by November 1 but it did not happen due to some unavoidable reasons. A meeting of officials of civil and electric wings of the Railways along with nodal agency of the project was convened some days ago wherein the officers assured me of completing the entire work by December 5,” said Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar.

Pradeep Ranjan, Technical Advisor of the project, said the work pertaining to the structure had been completed and pillars of the track were being coloured. The electrification work was in progress.

“The safety parameters will be examined again after the completion of electrification to give clearance for starting the operation over the track. The track will do away with five level crossings in the city, reducing traffic jams,” he added.