Bhubaneswar: Commissioner of railway safety, south eastern circle, Sumeet Singhal, on Wednesday inspected the newly built Purunakatak-Charichhak stretch of Khurda Road-Balangir new railway line in Boudh district.The inspection covered 13.3 km of fresh track laid as part of the project. The review was undertaken to assess safety preparedness and infrastructure readiness before the section is opened for train operations. Once commissioned, the stretch is expected to improve rail access to interior areas of Odisha.During the visit, Singhal examined the track, signalling and telecommunication arrangements, bridges, viaducts, tunnel and other safety installations. A speed trial was also conducted between Charichhak and Purunakatak stations to evaluate the section’s operational fitness.One of the key engineering components of the route is Tunnel T-7, which is 1,975 metres long and has been built through difficult terrain. The section also includes two major viaducts measuring nearly 1.9 km together, along with a road overbridge.The newly constructed stretch has been equipped with modern railway systems, including upgraded signalling, improved telecommunication facilities, strengthened track structure and other mandated safety features to support smooth and secure train movement.Senior officials of East Coast Railway, including representatives from its Construction Organisation, accompanied the CRS during the inspection. The team reviewed safety and infrastructure arrangements at different points along the route.The 301-km Khurda Road–Balangir rail line, sanctioned in 1994-95, is intended to link coastal Odisha with the western region of the state while serving several interior and underdeveloped areas.Of the total project length, 226 km has already been commissioned. Train services are presently operating between Khurda Road and Daspalla, and between Balangir and Purunakatak via Sonepur. After the Purunakatak–Charichhak section is commissioned, the completed portion of the project will rise to around 240 km.
