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The Dallirajhara-Rowghat Rail Line is set to be completed soon, with the 17.5-km Tadoki-Rowghat final section nearing completion and the project receiving the required Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) authorisation to run passenger trains, paving the way for direct rail connectivity to Rowghat and improved access to education, healthcare, employment, tourism and economic opportunities in the Bastar region.
According to officials in the railways and the state government, the passenger railway service is currently available between Dallirajhara and Tadoki. Improved connectivity will make travel to Raipur, Durg and other parts of Chhattisgarh more convenient. The project will improve access to education, healthcare and employment. Moreover, the project is going to facilitate the movement of agricultural products, local commercial goods and support trade and business activities. Most importantly, the project will facilitate the transportation of iron ore to Bhilai Steel Plant. This was the most awaited rail project, and the work up to Rowghat has been completed. The CRS (Commission of Railway Safety) inspection has taken place, and the required CRS authorisation to run passenger trains has been obtained. Only two or three minor tasks are pending, which will be finished in the coming days, said Dayanand, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Raipur Division. The DRM further elaborated that preparations to start the train up to Rowghat are nearly complete and very soon, you will see the train running up to Rowghat. The train reaching Rowghat is expected to bring the most significant visible change to Bastar's connectivity, he added. The entire Rowghat region is rich in iron ore, and the project is very crucial for SAIL, said the DRM, adding that the high iron content in Rowghat will also boost revenue. Travelling to the Rowghat region from Janjgir-Champa is a very hectic task due to the poor condition of the road, said Dhan Singh Suryavanshi, a small trader visiting from Janjgir-Champa. Once the operation of passenger trains starts, it will be a massive convenience for all, he added. Manish Kumar Gawde, a local student, said that earlier, going to bigger cities for higher education was very challenging for us, but the Dallirajhara-Rowghat Rail Line project came as a major relief and boon. Another major benefit of this rail connectivity is improved access to healthcare services. According to Kishor Gawde, a labourer coming from Tadoki, Previously, if someone fell ill in the village, we had to book a private vehicle, which cost a lot of money. Now, we can easily reach Durg and Raipur by train. The biggest beneficiaries will be school and college students, who can now travel to bigger cities for their studies. (ANI)
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