After upgrading its railway lines, Visakhapatnam Port Trust is all set to launch work on introduction of electronic signalling system.

Both the projects cost around ₹60 crore. The port, which has one of the largest rail networks with tracks stretching over 170 km in the city, is confident of introducing electronic signal system, giving adieu to manual signalling. It has already taken up electronic signalling of trains moving towards Vedanta berth as a pilot project, which will be replicated in other areas within a year.

As part of its resolve to improve time for evacuation of cargo by removing bottlenecks identified by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), several measures were initiated for faster evacuation of cargo, VPT Deputy Chairman P.L. Haranadh told The Hindu on Wednesday.

At present, the port receives electric locos of railways up to exchange yard and later pulls on the rakes with diesel engines owned by it. Once the modernisation work is completed, electric locos will enter the port area directly preventing the avoidable delay in movement of cargo.

Flyover sanctioned

The port has also proposed a flyover above the road from Akireddypalem to Mindi to ensure uninterrupted movement of rail-bound cargo to and from the port to the East Coast Railway and South Central Railway from Mindi yard connecting towards main section at Duvvada and Jagarajupeta.

Mr. Haranadh said the project would cost around ₹80 crore. The amount is being mobilised with internal accruals of the port trust.

Now due to expansion of the highway, road has been developed over the railway line near BHPV, which is located perpendicularly. Now without affecting the road traffic, the rail line will be reopened.

RITES conducted the detailed project report. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will take up the work. Funding for the project maybe received later under the Centre-funded Bharatmala Pariyojana.