In continuation to various developmental and infrastructural works undertaken during the lockdown, Western Railway has successfully completed a host of works at Atul station of Mumbai Division, which mainly comprised of construction of ATUL Station building & 12 nos. of Rly Quarters for Staff at ATUL Station, commissioning of MEGA BALLAST DEPOT having one-time capacity of 15000 M3 and PQRS SIDING With 02 R&D lines and 03 PQRS lines.
With the combined efforts of various departments such Civil Engineering, Operating, S&T and TRD, Electronic interlocking work at Atul Station was successfully completed in connection with Commissioning of PQRS & Ballast Sidings on 16th July, 2020 during a short period of 45 days from the date of CRS Approval on 2nd June, 2020, in spite of COVID-19 pandemic, Labour/Machinery crisis and heavy rain threat. With the commissioning of this new Atul Mega Ballast Depot, now it will be possible to fulfill Ballast requirements not only of Virar – Surat section but entire Mumbai division, which otherwise used to be transported all the way from Timbarva in Vadodara division and/or Udhan-JL section.
This Mega ballast depot has capacity of 15000 m3as well as has capacity of 35 hoppers placement at a time. Apart from Atul ballast depot and PQRS siding, new station building, quarters for staff and two additional goods loop lines (R&D lines) have been commissioned that will give operational flexibility in terms of giving preference and stabling. Traffic Work Order (TWO) of 21 days was sanctioned for insertion of Turnouts, SEJ, Crossovers, Tamping, Glued joints insertion and EI and work is completed ahead of TWO sanctioned.
Virar – Surat section of W. Rly is classified as Broad Gauge “A” Route having 414 Track KM at a sectional speed of 130kmph for Rajdhani Express and comprising of section having 46 GMT on UP Main Line and 40 GMT on DOWN Main Line. New ATUL STATION BUILDING, QUARTERS and ATUL Siding is developed on this section, against OLD UDVADA QUARRY and PQRS DEPOT at VALSAD under DFCCIL fund under UTILITY shifting work.
