Adilabad to become cement transport hub
Three cement firms conduct surveys regarding infrastructure available at the railway station
Adilabad will soon become the hub of cement transport for Telangana and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra considering the interest evinced by three cement majors of Ultratech, Ambuja and Manikgarh located at Gadhchandur in neighbouring Chandrapur district. The three companies have already conducted surveys regarding the infrastructure available at the Adilabad railway station and the potential for loading at its maximum capacity.
According to sources, the three factories now get rakes from Secunderabad Division of South Central Railway (SCR). Considering the quantum of work at Secunderabad, transport rakes are rather difficult to get. As an alternative, the cement units can have the option of opening dumps at Adilabad where loading wagons will be a time-saving exercise because rakes from Nanded division can be used for transporting cement as this division is comparatively less busy. Besides, Adilabad is closer to areas of Telangana in AP and places like Aurangabad, Parli, Jalna, etc. in the Marathwada region, the sources pointed out.
At present, five to seven rakes of oil cake, cottonseed and soyabean deoiled cake are loaded at Adilabad every month against the available infrastructure for loading two rakes per day. This gives revenue of Rs. 1.25 crores to Rs. 1.75 crores to the SCR. Once the newly converted broad gauge line is inaugurated, there is likelihood of goods traffic increasing via this line.
Better scope
The sources say the infrastructure at the railway station can be improved so as to load five rakes per day. There is scope for improvement of facilities related to laying of approach roads, yard lighting and construction of goods sheds. Besides, two or three additional lanes can also be provided for the sake of loading goods, the sources add.
The railway station will also become a busy junction because of relocation of some of the goods trains now going to Marathwada through other circuitous routes.
Published under Cement News
