A little more than three years after the Nagpur – Chhindwara line was shut down for gauge conversion, the first revenue Broad Gauge (BG) service is set to run on the Itwari – Kelod section from today (23rd February 2019).
A Inaugural Special train from to Kelod will leave today at 11 am from Itwari. The train will be flagged off by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari remotely from Nagpur station.
The 08117 Inaugural Special is scheduled to reach Kelod at 12:30 hrs. The return train from Kelod will start at 13:00 hrs, and is scheduled to reach Itwari at 14:30 hrs.
In regular service, two passenger trains are to run between Itwari and Kelod starting 24th Feruary 2019. Schedules for these trains have not yet been clarified.
The Commissioner for Railway Safety (SE circle) has authorised trains to run at a maximum speed of 90 kph on the section for now.
Narrow Gauge network and Gauge Conversion
The Nagpur – Chhindwara line was shut down for Gauge Conversion by South East Central Railway in November 2015. The famous narrow gauge Satpura railway network ceased to exist by December 2015.
Several sections on the Jabalpur – Nainpur stretch have been commissioned and now have revenue traffic. The entire line is expected to become operational this year.
The Itwari – Nagbid line remains the only one to operate on the narrow gauge in the area. Conversion of the line to broad gauge has announced. Work is expected to begin by April.