Patna Jn and RNT to have more lines

PATNA: With the recent railway budget proposing to carry out a survey for the third line between Buxar and Fatuha on the mainline section of Danapur division, the railways are likely to start laying of two additional lines between Patna Junction and Rajendra Nagar Terminal (RNT) for stabilising the rakes of passenger train coaches.

The civil work will start soon after finalisation of the tender, said Danapur DRM B D Garg.

According to Garg, these additional lines have become imperative to maintain smooth movement of trains at these two places after proper maintenance of passenger coaches in the washing pit lines. About 40 pairs of passenger trains have been originating either from Patna Junction or RNT every day.

These two additional lines will help Danapur division to cope with the operational needs of the railways, he said.

The DRM said the Danapur division in particular has of late been experiencing great difficulty in stabling the washed and maintained coaches in the yard due to an increase in the number of new passenger trains from both Patna Junction and RNT. The two stabling yard lines will be ready this year to cater to the rush of passenger trains, he said.

According to DRM, the division has been maintaining both primary and secondary maintenance work of all long-distance trains originating from these two places. It has become necessary to create the required infrastructure at Patna Junction to fulfil the operational needs of passenger trains.

The railways need at least five to six hours to carry out complete coach maintenance work in washing pit lines. These stabling lines will provide enough room for the washed rakes of passenger coaches to be stabled in the yard, he said.

Underlining the need of these two lines, Garg said the new facility would segregate goods train movements completely from passenger trains.

Besides, the division has got several pairs of new passenger trains in the rail budget. As such, laying stabling lines between Patna and RNT will lessen the pressure on the RNT and Patna stabling lines, he said.

The DRM said the ongoing work at platform no 10 at Patna Junction is on the verge of completion now.

The railways intend to connect platform no 7 with the mainline while platform no 8 will be a common platform with the facility of receiving and departing trains from both UP and Down direction trains at Patna Junction.

Besides, platform no 9 has been earmarked for the Patna-Gaya (P-G) train movements, he said adding the railways have already started passenger computerised reservation system (PRS) at the Karbighaiya end of Patna Junction.