Kazipet Balharshah Third Line And Electrification Completed

29 Jul 2026 CW Team

South Central Railway (SCR) has completed the 203 km Kazipet-Balharshah third line project along with electrification, a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at easing congestion and improving passenger and freight movement on one of the country’s busiest rail corridors. The project was completed with the commissioning of the final 11 km stretch between Asifabad and Sirpur Kaghaznagar, which included a bridge across the Bibra River. Executed at an estimated cost of around Rs 30 bn, the work enables more seamless operations on the Grand Trunk route linking northern and southern India.

The Kazipet-Balharshah section is a crucial rail link that connects the north and the south and serves several coal and cement sidings, a factor that had driven sustained growth in freight traffic and recurrent congestion. To address capacity constraints, SCR had previously completed a 33 km tripling between Raghavapuram and Mandamarri in 2016. The remaining 203 km stretch, which spans 159 km in Telangana and 44 km in Maharashtra, was sanctioned during 2015–16.

Electrification of the third line forms part of a broader drive to enhance energy efficiency and reduce transit times for both passenger and freight services, officials indicated. The additional track capacity will improve train punctuality and enable routing flexibility for goods trains, thereby supporting supply chains for the regions served. The project incorporated civil works, signalling upgrades and the construction of bridges and associated structures along the corridor.

While the third line and electrification have been commissioned, a small stretch near Balharshah station under Central Railway jurisdiction remains to be connected to the Balharshah yard through the newly laid third line. SCR will coordinate with Central Railway to complete the final link and integrate operations across the adjoining yards. The completion will have a lasting impact on throughput and regional connectivity.

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..