BHUBANESWAR: The East Coast Railway will start running goods trains and railway engines on the newly constructed broad-gauge railway line from Keonjhar to Tomka near Daitari beginning February 10.

The commissioning of the Tomka-Keonjhar railway line, which is of around 100 km in length, will lead to completion of the Daitari-Banspani railway project, facilitating faster movement of minerals by rail in the State.

The new line between Keonjhar and Tomka is a part of the much-awaited Daitari-Banspani railway project, which was sanctioned way back in 1992-93.

The goods trains that will run on the new line will carry minerals such as iron ore and coal passing through the mineral-rich region lessening pressure on the highways and other roads. Thousands of trucks were being used for carrying minerals to Paradip port from the mineral-rich zone in the absence of a rail link so far.

Good returns likely

The East Coast Railway authorities are hopeful of getting good returns from the new rail link as the region through which the Daitari-Banspani route traverses is witnessing faster industrial development and increased mining activity during the past few years.

Total length

The total length of the Daitari-Banspani line is of 155 km length of which around 10 km falls in neighbouring Jharkhand with the remaining in Orissa.

The line between Banspani and Jaruli was commissioned in 2000 and the 55 km length between Jaruli and Keonjhar was made operational in 2004.

According to officials of the East Coast Railway, while the completion of the Daitari-Banspani rail line will give a boost to industries, passenger and express trains will also run on the route in due course.

Meanwhile, the railway authorities have requested the general public to be vigilant while crossing the line at the unmanned level crossings between Keonjhar and Tomka.

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