Khandwa to Akola Rail Work Reviewed.

South Central Railway general manager PK Srivastava held a meeting recently to review the progress of preparatory work on commencement of the Khandwa-Akola meter gauge track conversion.

He examined in detail the existing alignment plans and the proposed new diverted alignment plans between Amalakhurd and Akot to bypass the forest stretch.

Necessary follow-up action will be taken on priority to sort out various issues with the Railway Board and the forest department to speed up the work.

On completion, the new broad gauge line will bring the people in the south-central parts of the country much closer to the people in the west-central parts, and provide a short rail link to Ajmer from Hyderabad via Khandwa and Ratlam.

The South Central Railway proposed to take up this work in three parts from Khandwa Junction to Amalakhurd (53 km) at a cost of Rs. 290 crore; from Amalakhurd to Akot (77.5 km) at a cost of Rs. 1,454 crore for the proposed diverted length of 106.6 km; and from Akot to Akola (43.5 km) at a cost of Rs. 186 crore.

Since completion of this major work is likely to take some more time due to issues like sanction of the project with diverted alignment; obtaining necessary clearances from various agencies are yet to come.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS