Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Ashok Kumar Mishra, General Manager (GM) of Western Railway (WR) has warned the officers of the Construction Department associated with the 205 km long Indore-Dahod new line rail project over the very slow pace of work. He clearly told them that ‘be responsible or face the consequences’.
Ahead of the review meeting called by chairman of Railway Board (CRB) Anil Kumar Lahoti in the city on Wednesday morning, GM of WR Mishra rushed to the site of the construction of a tunnel, which is located in Mhow Chhopati area close to Pithampur, at around 7.30 am. The objective of the visit was to take stock of the construction work on the spot. In the alignment of the Indore-Dahod new rail line project a tunnel of about 3 km long has to be constructed. Approximately 1 km long tunnel has been constructed. But last year rainwater is till now filled in the major part of the tunnel on the Dhar side opening of the tunnel. The railway officers took Mishra to Mhow Chowpati side opening of the tunnel, which does not have any water.
Official sources informed this correspondent that looking at the very slow pace of the construction of the tunnel Mishra was angry. He warned the officers in clear words that ‘be responsible or face the consequences’. The project is being monitored by higher officers.
Later on Wednesday, following the review meeting of CRB Lahoti, GM Mishra informed this correspondent that ‘now there will be good progress in the construction of the tunnel and the track of Indore-Dahod new line project. We would try to complete the commissioning of the track between Indore to Dhar by June 2024’.
Nagesh Namjoshi, former member of the Passenger Amenities Committee of Railway Board, highlighting the importance of Indore-Dahod new rail line project says that its a win-win for the passengers as well as the railway also. The project will shorten the distance between Indore and Mumbai by around 100 km. It means it will save about 1 hours of travel time of passengers, whereas the railway will be benefitted in the way that the load of passengers as well as goods trains originating from Pithampur and Indore will reduce on the heavily loaded Baroda-Ratlam-Indore section. The containers of Pithampur will be able to directly reach Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) Mumbai via Dahod and Baroda by cutting the existing Indore-Dewas-Ujjain-Ratlam-Dahod route.
It may be pointed out that the foundation stone of the project was laid by then PM Manmohan Singh in February 2008 with the target of completing the whole project by 2011.
