Due to technical issues, CR postpones move to straighten three platforms at Ngp Stn

 

 

 

The move to straighten the three platforms at Nagpur Railway Station was postponed again by Central Railway officials due to cropping up of technical issues. The Engineering Department had proposed to sort out the problematic issues at platform no 1, 2 and 3 so to end the long pending issue of opening all three platforms for simultaneous use for train operations. However as the work also involved Signalling Department, they are yet not ready to ensure rectification of tracks since there would be need to shut down entire Nagpur station which at present is not feasible. As both the departments are needed to be on board simultaneously for removing the impediments on the Itarsi end, the officials as of now decided to wait further for the right time, it is learnt. Signalling Department said taking up the shifting of signalling cables in isolation would not be possible.

 

So the Engineering Department has temporarily postponed the idea and now division officials said the work is likely to take further one year. By that time the ongoing construction of elevated concourse over the tracks at Nagpur Railway Station would gain momentum and that time simultaneous track realignment could be possible. This is so as that time to enable the construction of slab across all the platforms, the power to over head equipment (OHE) would need to be shut off. So, automatically the Signalling aspects on Western end of station (from platform 3 to 1) would be disabled and that time the realignment of poles and other measures can be easily carried out, said the experts. Currently on the Itarsi end of these three platforms, a bend has been formed.

 

Accordingly, the track also was curved on that end as they were positioned according to the available space. But due to this development, whenever a Mail/Express train is admitted to platform no 1, the cross over on Wardha end becomes blocked. This leads to detention of trains on the outer as the Operating Department cannot give lead for rolling in other trains. So the Goods Line, lying between platform 1 and 2, remains out of loop as till the train on platform no 1 does not move ahead, the cross over cannot be put to use for admitting other train. Same remains blocked as last few bogies of train that is on platform no 1 are positioned on the cross over.

 

Though the problem was identified long back, the work could not be taken-up as same required shutting down platform no 1 for longer period. Each time, division official decided to carry out the rectification, the main issue is where to adjust the regular trains. Nagpur Railway Station is ‘A’ category station and 254 services criss-cross daily and the footfall is nearly 1,85,000 persons. Therefore before closing Nagpur station, alternate plans have to be made for stabling the regular trains without disturbing the itinerary of travellers. As per current projections, within a period of one year, Ajni and Godhani Stations would be ready, making it possible for diverting some of the services from Nagpur Station to them. Ajni is being developed as Satellite terminal but Godhani sees diversion of trains coming from Eastern side of country and moving towards Northern India. So with these maneuvering of operations, the Nagpur Station redevelopment that is going on will also be facilitated smoothly. For straightening of the three platforms, apart from dismantling the corner loop of the concrete, the track too needs to be readjusted and straightened ahead towards Itarsi end. For the same, the turn outs will also be realigned along with repositioning of the signal poles.