Indian Railways (IR) has approved the construction of a new meter gauge (MG) railway station at the Grofed area in Junagadh on the Visavadar–Junagadh meter gauge section under Bhavnagar Division, Western Railway.
Once the new Grofed station becomes operational, the approximately 4.2-kilometer-long MG railway section between Grofed and the existing Junagadh station will be permanently closed and with it seven level crossings (LC) will also be done away with.
The move follows IR’s decision to de-congest road traffic on these seven LC gates and provide relief to the residents of Junagadh as this 4.2 railway line passes through densely populated parts of the city. At present, closure of seven level crossing gates along the route for extended periods, cause severe traffic congestion across the city.
Benefits
The closure of these seven LC gates will also reduce the risk of road and rail accidents. In addition, railway employees currently engaged in operating and maintaining the level crossing gates can be redeployed for other operational duties. After the termination of MG operations at the current Junagadh station, the land made available there will be utilized for expanding broad gauge yard facilities and other operational infrastructure.
e-Bus service
The Junagadh Municipal Corporation has proposed starting an e-Bus service between the new Grofed station and the existing Junagadh station to provide connectivity for meter gauge passengers to broad gauge trains and other parts of the city.
