Vinod Bhat
New Delhi: In a significant step towards enhancing rail capacity on one of the country’s important freight corridors, Indian Railways has approved the construction of a 14.52 km third line between Nimpura West Outer Cabin and Midnapur in South Eastern Railway at a cost of ₹440 crore.
The project forms part of Indian Railways’ continued efforts to augment network capacity on high-density routes to facilitate faster movement of passenger and freight trains while supporting the growing transportation needs of industries and essential commodities.
Third Line Between Nimpura West Outer Cabin and Midnapur
The sanctioned project involves construction of a 14.52 km third line between Nimpura West Outer Cabin and Midnapur on South Eastern Railway.
The section forms part of the High Utilisation Network (HUN-2) route, where the Nimpura West Outer Cabin-Gokulpur section is presently a single line, while doubling works are already in progress. The additional third line will substantially augment line capacity and improve operational flexibility on this strategically important corridor.
Boost to Freight Capacity and Passenger Operations
The route carries substantial volumes of passenger as well as freight traffic transporting key commodities including manganese, iron ore, containers, coal, clinker, pellet iron, iron and steel, wheat, stone, sleepers, slag, salt, rice, petroleum products, limestone, gypsum, fertilisers, edible oil, chemical salt, charcoal, cement, ballast and ash, with an overall freight loading of nearly 23.80 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA).
The existing section is operating at a line capacity utilisation of 115.71%, indicating severe congestion. The third line will create additional capacity to accommodate growing passenger and freight traffic while improving operational efficiency across the corridor.
Supporting Economic Growth Through Higher Rail Capacity
Upon completion, the project is expected to facilitate additional freight traffic of 3.52 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA). The enhanced infrastructure will improve movement of essential commodities, reduce operational bottlenecks, increase network reliability and strengthen connectivity for industries and businesses dependent on this important rail corridor.
The approval reflects Indian Railways’ sustained focus on capacity augmentation across high-density routes, enabling faster movement of freight and passengers while supporting economic growth through a modern, efficient and future-ready railway network.
