The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Eastern Circle, Sumeet Singhal, on Wednesday inspected the newly constructed Purunakatak–Charichhak section of the Khurda Road–Balangir Rail Line Project in Boudh district. The inspection covered 13.35-km of newly laid railway line and focused on various safety parameters and infrastructure facilities along the section.
The inspection is an important milestone towards commissioning of the Purunakatak–Charichhak section and further extending rail connectivity into the interior regions of Odisha. During the inspection, the CRS reviewed the track, signalling and telecommunication systems, bridges, viaducts, tunnel and other safety related installations. He also conducted a speed trial run between Charichhak and Purunakatak stations to assess the readiness and safety of the newly constructed line.
A major engineering feature of the section is Tunnel T-7, 1,975 metres long, constructed through challenging terrain. The section also includes two major viaducts with a combined length of approximately 1.9 km. In addition, the section has one major bridge, which is a Road Over Bridge (ROB). The team examined the infrastructure and safety arrangements at various locations along the section.
The 301-km Khurda Road–Balangir rail line, project is aimed at improving connectivity to the underserved regions of Odisha. The Purunakatak–Charichhak section involved construction of major engineering structures such as the approximately 2-km-long tunnel and major viaducts. Senior officials from East Coast Railway, including those from ECoR’s Construction Organisation, accompanied and assisted the CRS team during the inspection.