New Delhi, 24 March (H.S.):

The Ministry of Railways has cleared two major rail infrastructure projects worth 647.58 crore rupees for Gujarat and Bihar aimed at improving connectivity, easing congestion and boosting the safety and efficiency of train operations on busy routes. The schemes include a Rail‑Over‑Rail flyover at Kosamba in Gujarat and a new rail bypass at Bhagalpur in Bihar, both of which are being developed as part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s freight and passenger network.

Under the Western Railway, the first project involves the construction of a Rail‑Over‑Rail (RoR) flyover at Kosamba on the Kosamba–Umrapada gauge‑conversion section, a 9.20‑kilometre stretch lying on the eastern side of the

Mumbai–Vadodara main line.

The flyover will be built at an estimated cost of 344.38 crore rupees and will provide seamless connectivity between the gauge‑converted line and the main line, allowing trains to move across without any at‑grade crossing. Works on gauge conversion of this section are already underway, and the presence of the Dedicated Freight Corridor makes grade‑level crossings unfeasible. Once completed, the RoR structure will enable uninterrupted, safer and more efficient movement of trains while fully leveraging the upgraded track.

In Bihar, the second project is the construction of a 13.38‑kilometre Bhagalpur bypass under the Eastern Railway at an estimated cost of 303.20 crore rupees. The new bypass will link Gonudham Halt on the Barahat–Bhagalpur section with Sabour station on the Bhagalpur–Sahibganj route.

This alignment will help divert a large share of traffic away from Bhagalpur Junction, significantly reducing congestion at one of the busiest yards in the region. At present, the Barahat–Bhagalpur section is operating at about 125 per cent of its designed capacity, which forces trains to reverse their engines at Bhagalpur and leads to frequent delays.

With the new bypass, the need for engine reversal will be eliminated, load on the existing lines will be de‑stressed and the overall operational efficiency of the corridor will improve. Punctuality and scheduling of trains between key points in eastern India will benefit directly, while passengers and freight operators will see more reliable and faster movement.

Officials say these projects will not only strengthen rail connectivity in Gujarat and Bihar, but also ease crowding on critical junctions, reduce running time and make train operations safer and more resilient on two of the busiest corridors in the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar