Ambala: Floods delay rail corridor project

Ambala, June 23

Already running behind its schedule, the work on the Shambhu-Kalanaur section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in Haryana has been further delayed by the recent floods and continuous rain.

The 175.1-km long section from Sahnewal in Punjab to Pilkhani in Uttar Pradesh is under the Ambala unit of Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL).

The Shambhu-Sahnewal portion in Punjab, covering 81.6 km, was made operational in the month of June, and the Kalanaur-Pilkhani portion in Uttar Pradesh, covering 16.8 km, was made operational on July 14. The rail corridor from Shambhu to Kalanaur in Haryana, covering 76.7 km, was expected to become operational in August, but now the project is likely to be completed by October as the tracks suffered huge damage due to the recent floods.

Pankaj Gupta, chief general manager, Ambala unit, DFCCIL, said, “Incessant rain and subsequent floods have affected the project. There were some major damages at two locations — near Ghasitpur village, where water from the overflowing Tangri had damaged the track, and at the New Kesri Railway Yard where water from the Markanda river had caused damages — in Ambala.”

A total of 14 new stations (seven in Haryana, six in Punjab and one in Uttar Pradesh) for the loading and unloading of goods and allowing crossings have been constructed.