Bhubaneswar, Aug 19: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has commissioned a Freight Train Examination and Routine Overhauling (ROH) facility at Sarla Station in Sambalpur, said ECoR sources on Monday.

The project, executed by RITES Ltd. in collaboration with the Gati Shakti Unit (GSU) Unit of the Sambalpur Division, involved an investment of approximately Rs 200 Crores and was completed in June 2024.

The new Sarla yard was successfully commissioned on 14th June 2024, and freight train examinations commenced on 25th June 2024. The first ROH outturn was achieved on 13th August 2024.

This significant development is aimed at bolstering infrastructure and meeting the growing industrial demands of Western and Southern Odisha.

“The Sambalpur Division, one of the fastest-growing Divisions in Indian Railways, plays a crucial role in serving the key industries of the region, including steel, Aluminum and coal sectors. The development of the freight depot at Sarla station was essential to improve operational performance and support the industrial growth in the region,” added ECoR official sources.

The ECoR sources also noted that RITES Ltd. has developed a new G+1 station building as an ROH shed, an electric substation, different offices, a trainee hostel, and two examination lines at a cost of Rs 160 Crores. All these facilities were commissioned in June 2024.

This apart, the GSU unit has developed one additional loop line and two freight examination lines at an approximate cost of Rs 40 Crores. Full electrification of these lines was completed in August 2024.

The Sarla yard was remodelled with 64 new turnouts and 10.4 TKM of new tracks, along with the conversion of PI to distributed EI of Kyosan make, with 195 routes commissioned.

“The yard has a monthly capacity to handle 90-100 train examinations and ROH of 100 wagons, significantly boosting loading performance while improving safety and reducing the Turn Around Time (TAT) of BTAP (aluminum-carrying wagons) by 30 per cent. In a first for Indian Railways, the ROH and sick line work are being operated on a complete outsourcing model, with skeletal department staff ensuring efficient operation of the freight depot,” said ECoR sources.

--IANS

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