ECoR utilizes lockdown to complete passenger safety, amenity works

Various safety related works were executed on top priority, he said, adding that 18 Limited Height Sub-ways (LHSs) have been completed at various places during the period, including the closure of three manned level crossing gates by providing alternative paths. Five girders of 36 metres span have been launched at the Road Over Bridge (ROB) in Bhadrak - Khurda Road Railway Section in Odisha.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Tuesday said it has judiciously utilised the nationwide lockdown time to augment and maintain infrastructure with a special emphasis on execution of long pending projects. During the lockdown, passenger train operations were suspended except those of special trains and Shramik Specials, to carry stranded migrants to their homes. Operation of freight and parcel trains continued to maintain an uninterrupted supply of essential goods.

"Taking lockdown period as an opportunity, ECoR has taken up many safety and passenger amenities works, without affecting the train services. Emphasis was on the execution of long pending construction and maintenance works which required traffic blocks of long duration," a railway official said. Various safety related works were executed on top priority, he said, adding that 18 Limited Height Sub-ways (LHSs) have been completed at various places during the period, including the closure of three manned level crossing gates by providing alternative paths.

Five girders of 36 metres span have been launched at the Road Over Bridge (ROB) in Bhadrak - Khurda Road Railway Section in Odisha. Apart from this, renewal of 167 km rail, 7.5 km sleepers, 356 numbers of glued joints, rebuilding of 49 bridges and repair of 2557 wagons have been done.

Foot over bridge girders were launched at Charbatia and Gurudijhatia stations in connection with third and fourth line work between Salegaon-Rajathagarh, at Kapilas Road in connection with Bhadrak-Nergundi third line work and at Talcher Road station in connection with Sambalpur-Talcher doubling work, an ECoR statement said. Preparatory jobs related to non-interlocking in connection with safety related modernization work in Kottavalasa-Koraput-Kirandul (KK) line have been completed in addition to 657 major over head equipment (OHE) scheduled works and track circuit maintenance work at 298 locations.

32,500 cubic metre rock blasting work in KK line has been done in connection with doubling of this line. "Completion of these pending works will increase mobility of trains with more safety. These works would have taken a long period during normal times by suspension of rail traffic," the official said.

On passenger amenities, he said many important works have been executed during this lockdown period. Foot over bridge (FOB) at six stations, lifts at 4 stations, Divyangjan toilets at 8 stations, platform surface concreting at 8 stations, platform height raising at 8 stations, additional platform sheds at 6 stations have been commissioned along with provision of 534 stainless steel benches at various station, and development of two stations as Adarsh Stations.

For the convenience of passengers, circulating areas and waiting halls at 10 stations have been improved during the period. Apart from these, many more safety and maintenance works related to electrical, mechanical and signals have been taken up. Train travel has become much safer and comfortable in recent years and ECoR is taking all the measures for the maximum satisfaction of its customers and passengers, it added.

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