In a significant move aimed at enhancing railway safety and enabling higher train speeds, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has initiated extensive safety fencing works worth over Rs 1,000 crore along various railway sections under its jurisdiction.
Under this ambitious safety initiative, the ECoR has sanctioned Safety Fencing works, covering a total of 3,133 track kilometres under its jurisdiction, at an estimated cost of over Rs 1,061 crore. The works are progressing across all three divisions — Khurda Road, Sambalpur, and Waltair.
In the Khurda Road Division, safety fencing works covering 1,255 kilometres at a cost of Rs 458 crore are in progress in the Bhadrak–Palasa, Khurda Road–Puri, and Nergundi–Kerejang sections. Additionally, safety fencing for 287 kilometres in the Jakhapura–Jaroli section, at a cost of over Rs 98 crore, is under sanction, with the detailed estimate currently being processed.
Similarly, in the Sambalpur Division, safety fencing works covering 1,278 kilometres at a cost of over Rs 404 crore are in progress in the Jharsuguda Road–Sambalpur City–Kerejang, Balangir–Theruvali, and Sarla–Balangir sections. Additionally, fencing works covering 316.5 kilometres in the Lakholi–Titlagarh section, with a detailed estimate of Rs 93.43 crore, are under sanction.
Likewise, in the Waltair Division, safety fencing works covering 600 kilometres at a cost of over Rs 199.27 crore are in progress in the Palasa-Visakhapatnam-Duvvada and Vizianagram-Singapur Road sections.
These works aim to ensure safe train operations, prevent unauthorised trespassing, and restrict the movement of cattle and wild animals near railway tracks. By implementing these measures, the ECoR is reinforcing its commitment to providing a secure and efficient railway network.
The safety fencing will go a long way in preventing human and cattle run-over incidents, and in reducing train detentions and derailments caused by cattle straying onto the tracks.
It will also ensure that high-speed and lighter trains like Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat are safeguarded against potential damage.
Besides, the secured tracks enable locopilots to operate confidently at the maximum permissible speeds, thereby improving timekeeping and efficiency. They also help limit speed restriction zones in elephant corridors, reducing risks to animals and improving train movement. The safety fencing will facilitate train operations at speeds of 130 kmph and beyond across multiple sections.