₹3,000-cr 203 km tripling of Kazipet-Balharshah railway completed: South Central Railway

The Kazipet-Balharshah section is a vital rail corridor connecting North and South India.

The South Central Railway (SCR) has completed the 203 km Kazipet-Balharshah railway tripling project by commissioning the last 11 km section between Asifabad Road and Sirpur Kaghaznagar, along with electrification works and the main bridge over the Bibra River.

Hassle-free movement on the Grand Trunk route

The ₹3,000 crore project, involving tripling and electrification of the track between Kazipet and Balharshah, is expected to increase operational efficiency and facilitate smooth movement of trains on the busy Grand Trunk route.

Busy section

The Kazipet-Balharshah section is a vital rail corridor connecting North and South India. It also serves several coal and cement sidings along the route, resulting in heavy traffic congestion and near-saturation of the line’s capacity over the years.

To decongest the route, SCR first completed tripling on the 33 km Raghavapuram-Mandamarri section in 2016. Subsequently, tripling and electrification of the remaining Kazipet-Balharshah section was approved in 2015–16. The project covers 203 km, of which 159 km falls in Telangana and 44 km in Maharashtra. From 2020, different parts of the project are being commissioned in phases.

The Kazipet-Balharshah section is served by several coal and cement sidings along the route, resulting in heavy traffic congestion and near-saturation of the line’s capacity over the years

According to railway officials, the entire stretch has now been brought into service except for a small section near Balharshah station, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Central Railway. The pending works include connectivity between the newly laid third track and Balharshah Shipyard and work on this segment is currently underway.

SCR Director General 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 is served by several coal and cement sidings along the route, resulting in heavy traffic congestion and near-saturation of the line’s capacity over the years

Published – 23 Jul 2026 17:34 IST