Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): For safety of wildlife, Western Central Railway (WCR) is constructing 5 Austrian tunnels with modern technology on the third rail line in the Barkhera-Budhni Ghat section on Bhopal-Itarsi route. It will be located in Bhopal division of West Central Railway in Sehore and Raisen districts.
The total length of five tunnels - T1 (Budhni), T2 (Midghat), T3 (Bhimkoti), T4 (Choka) and T5 (Barkhera) is 2,150.00 metres. Besides, 20 underpasses and five overpasses are also being constructed. A stop dam will also be built.
According to railways department, a total of five tunnels are being built. Two of these tunnels will be built in such a way that two trains will be able to pass through a tunnel simultaneously. This is the first time in state that a two-track tunnel is being built on a railway route.
The department has taken up major tunnel work for broad gauge third line between Barkhera-Budhni (26.50 km) section of Bhopal-Itarsi route. This will ease congestion on Golden Diagonal, Delhi-Chennai route. With commissioning of third line, trains will run at a speed of 130 kilometres per hour along Bina-Bhopal-Itarsi section.
For capacity enhancement, construction of third line on Bhopal-Itarsi section has been sanctioned by Railway Board in three separate works. This includes Habibganj (HBJ)-Barkhera (BKA) measuring 41.42 km for which work is completed; Barkhera (BKA)-Budhni (BNI) of 26.5 km for which work is in progress and Budhni (BNI)- Itarsi (ET) stretching 25 km for which work has been completed.
