Delays in land acquisition in Narmadapuram and Betul districts caused a postponement in the commencement of construction on the Itarsi-Amla section. The third railway line project required the acquisition of 16.036 hectares of land from 290 farmers across 40 villages in three tehsils of Betul district.
Completion of this third railway line is expected to significantly improve rail traffic. The current route includes a challenging Ghat section, which currently causes considerable traffic congestion.
Four Tunnels Planned
The third line will include four tunnels totaling 1.40 km in length within the Maramjhiri-Dharakhoh Ghat section. The project involves laying a 267 km third line between Itarsi and Nagpur, encompassing 27 stations and the construction of 361 bridges and culverts. Underpasses have already been constructed at Peepaldhana and Maramjhiri on the Itarsi-Betul route as part of this project. Two bypass tracks, one up and one down, have been completed between Pawarkheda and Jujharpur. The railway has invested approximately ₹600 crore in both projects.
To prevent soil erosion and collapse along the bypass track connecting Jujharpur via Khedra, a protective wall is being constructed using stones bound with iron wire. It is noteworthy that heavy rainfall last year caused significant soil erosion and subsidence around both bypass tracks, creating large gaps and tilting some overhead electric line poles.
The Need for a Third Line
Currently, the Nagpur-Itarsi section has only two railway lines, accommodating both passenger and freight trains. To accommodate passenger trains, freight trains are often halted for extended periods. The third line aims to alleviate this issue, ensuring timely movement of both passenger and freight trains without the need for frequent halts.
