The Kazipet-Balharshah section is a crucial rail corridor linking northern and southern India.
South Central Railway (SCR) has completed the 203-km Kazipet-Balharshah rail tripling project with the commissioning of the final 11-km stretch between Asifabad Road and Sirpur Kaghaznagar, along with electrification works and a major bridge across the Bibra River.
Seamless movement on Grand Trunk route
The ₹3,000-crore project, comprising track tripling and electrification between Kazipet and Balharshah, is expected to enhance operational efficiency and facilitate seamless movement of trains on the busy Grand Trunk route.
A busy section
The Kazipet-Balharshah section is a crucial rail corridor linking northern and southern India. It also serves several coal and cement sidings along the route, resulting in heavy traffic congestion and near-saturation of line capacity over the years.
To decongest the route, SCR initially completed tripling works on the 33-km Raghavapuram-Mandamarri section in 2016. Subsequently, tripling and electrification of the remaining Kazipet-Balharshah stretch were sanctioned during 2015-16. The project covers 203 km, of which 159 km falls in Telangana and 44 km in Maharashtra. Since 2020, various sections of the project have been commissioned in phases.
The Kazipet-Balharshah section serves several coal and cement sidings along the route, resulting in heavy traffic congestion and near-saturation of line capacity over the years
According to railway officials, the entire stretch has now been commissioned except for a small portion near Balharshah station that falls under the jurisdiction of Central Railway. The pending work involves connectivity between the newly laid third line and the Balharshah yard, and work on this segment is currently in progress.
SCR General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava congratulated the officials and staff involved in the successful completion of the project, according to a press release issued on Thursday (July 23, 2026).
The Kazipet-Balharshah section serves several coal and cement sidings along the route, resulting in heavy traffic congestion and near-saturation of line capacity over the years
Published – July 23, 2026 05:34 pm IST
