Central Railway has executed a long haul loop at Murtizapur Jn. This will facilitate provision of long haul loop line of 1500 metres CSR (clear standing room) in Down direction ( towards Nagpur).
In addition, CSR of Down Loop Line will be extended from 713 M to 793 M. [Indian Railways a few years ago had taken a policy decision to construct longer loops at important way side stations so as to receive and dispatch longer goods rakes or multiple number of smaller rakes on the same line thus increasing line capacity].
This will improve line capacity of Bhusaval -Badnera section which is presently over-saturated due to running of long haul trains.
Details of Murtizapur long haul works
The work was sanctioned in 2015-16 with the following scope:-
• Extension of Down loop (No. 2 ) at both ends by approximately 430 metre so as to get 1500 CSR of Down long haul loop line.
• Removal of six points and insertion of four new points.
• Provision of sand hump on long haul loop line at Nagpur end as isolation.
• Extension of Bridge No. 621/01 by 14 metres.
• Related signal, telecom and traction distribution (TRD) works
The work was executed in stipulated time frame observing all the safety norms.
How it was done
This work was executed as per the following phases –
• 7 days preliminary signal and telecom works from August 14 to August 20, 2023
• 9 days Pre-non-interlocking (NI) work from August 21 to August 29, 2023
Non interlocking works was done for 20 hours from evening 6 pm on August 30 to afternoon 2 pm the next day ( August 31,2023). This included one hour traffic block in DN direction plus a two hour Up and DN combined traffic block for testing and commissioning.
Block details
A total of 39 hours traffic block was provided for track related works. For disconnection of signal and telecom assets 36 hours was given plus another 3 hours as traffic block. For overhead equipment works (OHE), 27 hours block was given.
For execution of NI work on August 30 and 31, 2023 eight trains were cancelled and two short terminated. During NI work, four ghumtees were constructed at site for working of special duty operating staff.
These were manned by 1 Assistant Station Master (ASM) and two pointsmen per shift at each ghumttee. Up and DN loop lines were set, clamped and padlocked for movement of Up and Down trains.
During disconnection period, 36 trains in Up direction including 16 Mail/Express trains and 36 trains in DN direction including 11 Mail/Express trains were passed safely without undue detention.
