Electrification of Rohtak- Bhatinda –Lehra Mohabatt rail track approved
VINOD KUMAR GUPTA
Friday, 22 January 2010
CHANDIGARH: The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure today approved the electrification of the Rohtak-Bhatinda-Lehra Muhabat section of Northern Railway.

According to press note the cost of electrification of this line is estimated at Rs.215.93 crore with allocation of Rs.32.39 crore in eleventh Plan and Rs.183.54 crore in twelfth Plan.

The Rohtak-Bhatinda-Lehra Muhabat section of Northern Railway is a very important passenger and freight corridor. Electrification of this section will cater to the anticipated increase in freight and passenger traffic.

The section Rohtak-Bhatinda-Lehra Muhabat of Delhi and Ambala Division of Northern Railway is a predominantly double line section which includes 129 KMs as double line between Rohtak and Jakhal while doubling is sanctioned between Jakhal-Bhatinda. Bhatinda-Lehra Muhabat section is a single line section.

This section serves as a very important passenger and freight corridor. The coal for thermal plants at Bhatinda and Lehra Mohabatt is routed through this line. The Passenger traffic on this section is the Mail Express trains linking Northern India with Eastern and Central India.

With electrification from Shakurbasti up to Lehra Muhabat via Bhatinda, goods traffic can go right up to thermal power plant at Kattar Singh Wala and Lehra Muhabat in Punjab without any change in traction. There will be seamless flow of goods traffic, as detention at Rohtak, Shakurbasti and Tughlakabad would be eliminated.

The project is expected to be completed in the year 2014-15 and will cover two States, i.e. Haryana and Punjab and five districts, i.e. Rohtak, Jind, Narwana, Jakhal of Haryana and Bhatinda of Punjab.