The long-awaited dream of people in Yavatmal, of having direct rail connectivity with major stations, is about to come true. The first station of the new Broad Gauge line, Deoli, in Wardha district, would be operational in the next few days. The Commissioner of Rail Safety (CRS) will inspect the 14.5 km section, ex-Wardha, on August 31, informed Prashant Nellikewar, Deputy Chief Engineer (Wardha), Construction, Central Railway. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Nellikewar said, post inspection, the Construction Organisation is going to hand over the new line to Operations Department. The Department would then decide on running of passenger train services on the new section as per their programme. Once the inspection of the route, signalling gears, building of stations is done, a certificate is issued by CRS that the section is fit and ready for rail services. He further said that the Construction Organisation had completed the track section, including one main line and two loop lines, at the Deoli station, to enable stoppage of trains. Another line has also been commissioned for siding to enable stabling of locomotive. Further, the station building is also ready, with cover over platform (CoP) and the signalling system fully installed.

 

 

However, Nellikewar said, during the initial period, the rail services would run on diesel as work on erection of Over Head Equipment (OHE), the high tension power line, is slightly behind the schedule. Much of the construction work on the section under Dy. CE (WR) is nearing completion and within next two months, another section Bhidi-Kalamb, a distance of 15 km from Deoli, is planned to be completed. Similar to exercise in Kalamb, the CRS would come down to inspect the new route and certify it for opening of passenger rail services. Nellikewar added, by that time the OHE work till Kalamb would also ready for starting electric locomotives that would enable faster movement of trains in the section. Just a few days back, electronic interlocking was commissioned at Deoli station and it has 32 routes. The project of new section, Wardha-Nanded, the 284.65 km section, was envisioned at the time of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, about 14-years back. Vijay Darda, ex-Member of Parliament, he hails from Yavatmal, was instrumental in pitching for brining Yavatmal on the railway map. He with help of Praful Patel, Member of Parliament (MP), lobbied hard with Lalu and got the project sanctioned, as the officials were not in favor citing poor economic returns from the new line. The new rail line would bridge the gap between Vidarbha and Marathwada sections of Maharashtra and further boost the trade and ties between the two regions.