4th rail line between Jaleswar & Berhampur to ease congestion on Chennai-Howrah main line

Bhubaneswar: Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s recent announcement on a proposed fourth rail line between Jaleswar in Balasore district and Berhampur in Ganjam district is expected to significantly ease congestion on the busy Chennai-Howrah main line in Odisha.At present, the route has two lines which carry both passenger and freight trains. Railway officials said the addition of the third and fourth lines will help separate traffic movement, ensuring that freight trains no longer hold up passenger services.Work on the third line is already in progress. According to East Coast Railway officials, most of the third line work between Jaleswar and Khurda has been completed. Construction on the remaining stretch up to Berhampur is underway at different stages.Around 155 passenger and 75 goods trains currently operate on the 415-km-long stretch between Jaleswar and Berhampur. With train movement rising steadily over the years, officials said the existing infrastructure is no longer sufficient to handle the growing load. “The mainline is under pressure due to the increasing number of trains over the years. More lines are needed to handle both passenger and freight trains,” a railway officer said.Officials said the extra lines will reduce delays caused by congestion. Once the additional lines are in place, both passenger and goods trains are expected to run more smoothly.