3 weeks ago
Western Railway completes Samakhiali-Bhachau rail quadrupling project in Gujarat
Trains travel on tracks, and sometimes people build extra tracks so more trains can move at the same time.
In a place called Gujarat in India, workers built new railway tracks between two towns called Samakhiali and Bhachau.
Before, there were fewer tracks, and now there are four, so more trains can use the route.
This helps trains carry things like containers, fuel, fertilisers, foodgrains and salt from the big ports of Kandla and Mundra to other cities.
The workers also built four big bridges and 25 small bridges so trains can cross safely.
They used lots of earth and stones to make the ground strong for the heavy trains.
Railway stations at Samakhiali, Vondh and Bhachau were made bigger, too.
A special safety officer called the Commissioner of Railway Safety checked the new tracks to make sure they are safe.
Trains can only start running after he gives official permission.
When the new tracks open, moving goods will be faster and cheaper, which helps businesses and trade in the region.
Western Railway has completed quadrupling of the Samakhiali-Bhachau rail section in Gujarat, covering a stretch of around 17 kilometres.
The project added 32.90 kilometres of new track — a 16.398-kilometre down line and a 16.502-kilometre up line — with track laying and linking finished across the stretch.
Construction included about 6.25 lakh cubic metres of earthwork, 1.27 lakh cubic metres of blanketing, 96,000 cubic metres of ballast, four major bridges and 25 minor bridges.
Commissioner of Railway Safety E. Srinivas inspected the new lines; passenger and freight services will begin only after statutory approval based on the CRS inspection report.
The upgraded corridor is expected to boost freight movement from Kandla and Mundra ports, support passenger operations and lower logistics costs for industries in the Kutch region.
- Who
- Western Railway, with officials including Commissioner of Railway Safety E. Srinivas, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction) Pradeep Gupta and Ahmedabad Divisional Railway Manager Ved Prakash.
- What
- Completion of the quadrupling of the Samakhiali-Bhachau rail section, which has undergone safety inspection before train services begin.
- Where
- The Samakhiali-Bhachau rail section in Gujarat, India, linking the Kutch region with the ports of Kandla and Mundra.
- When
- The project has been completed recently and inspected; train operations are expected to begin after statutory approval, though no specific date was given.
- Why
- To strengthen freight movement, increase capacity for passenger operations and improve operational efficiency on one of western India's most important rail corridors.
Key facts
- Project
- Quadrupling of the Samakhiali-Bhachau rail section
- Location
- Kutch region, Gujarat, India
- New track length
- 32.90 km (16.398 km down line + 16.502 km up line)
- Bridges built
- 4 major bridges and 25 minor bridges
- Earthwork
- Approximately 6.25 lakh cubic metres
- Blanketing
- 1.27 lakh cubic metres
- Ballast laying
- 96,000 cubic metres
- Status
- CRS inspection completed; awaiting statutory approval for operations
Quotes
Commissioner of Railway Safety E. Srinivas
Head of CRS for the Western Circle
“"The inspection was carried out as part of the statutory safety clearance process before the section is opened for traffic."”
thehansindia.com











