Dallirajhra- Rowghat New Railway Line - Phase I [95 km]

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Information RVNL - II has come up with Dallirajhra- Rowghat New Railway Line - Phase I [95 km] with a ticket size of 1627.56 INR Crores. This project in Railway Track sub-sector involves The current status of the project is - and is being developed through the EPC route. Economic/Social Impact of the Project Critical 235 km rail connectivity project passing through the maoist infested districts of Kanker, Narayanpur and Kondagaon of Bastar region. The line will help transport iron ore from the Rowghat mines to the Bhilai Steel Plant [SAIL], which currently depends on the almost-saturated Dalli-Rajhara mines. It will also help reduce the rail distance between Raipur and Jagdalpur by approximately 260 kms. The Project has been divided in two phases- Phase 1- Dallirajhra- Rowghat [95 km] is being implemented by RVNL. Commissioning target of the entire Phase I is 30.06.2025 [ Balance 2 km land handed over by Forest deptt. on April 2022] [of 80 to 95 km stretch ] to RVNL. Dallirajhara - Antagarh [0 - 60 km]work is completed. Train services are running from Dallirajhara to Antagarh [0 - 60 km]. CRS inspection of Keoti Antagarh section [42 - 60 km] has been carried out on 21/08/2020. Phase 2- Rowghat -Jagdalpur [140 km] is being implemented by IRCON Anticipated cost of Phase II is INR 2538.6 crores. No physical construction has started in Phase - II. Anticipated date of commissioning of Phase II is post completion of land acquisition and financial closure. Project Cost [INR Crores]- Phase I- 1627.56 Cr. Phase II- 2538.6 Cr. Revised Targeted Date of Completion [Phase I]- Jun-2025 Revised Targeted Date of Completion [Phase II]- To be ascertained post financial closure Physical progress [as on July 2022]- Phase I- 79percentage Financial progress [as on July 2022]- Phase I- 67percentage- Phase II- Financial closure pending Significance- The proposed rail line has several objectives- [1] To haul iron ore from the proposed Rowghat mines [located in the Maoist stronghold of north Bastar, Kanker] for Bhilai Steel Plant [SAIL], which currently depends on the almost-saturated Dalli-Rajhara mines]- [2] Provide efficient and economical means of transporting iron ore mined from NMDCs Bailadilla mines in Chhattisgarh- [3] Supporting the NMDCs upcoming Nagarnar Steel Plant near Jagdalpur and to cater to the passenger and goods transport. [4] On completion of the project, Kanker, Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts of Bastar region will be directly connected to Raipur via Durg. [5] It will reduce the rail distance between Raipur and Jagdalpur by approximately 260 kms. [6] Currently, this region is connected by a single lane road built by the paramilitary forces with camps in the forests to combat Naxals. This project will boost significantly boost socio-economic interaction and bring remote, densely forested areas over rail map of Chhattisgarh. Challenges- Improvised Explosive Devices [IEDs] planted by Naxals pose a huge challenge. Two battalions of the Sashtra Seema Bal [SSB] have been deployed exclusively for guarding the project since 2016 and one battalion of the Sashtra Seema Bal [SSB] have been deployed exclusively for guarding the project since 2016. At Least 12 attacks have been done. * Due to security protocol and daily mobilization and demobilization of men and machinery, average working time available in a day is only 5-6 hours. * Last 02 km land between ch. km 83.5 to 85.5 is handed over by Forest deptt. in April 2022 and one Security Camp at Padargao [km- 85] has been established on 12.03.2022.