Waltair Division transports first fly ash rake from NTPC Vizag

In an effort to enhance its freight traffic, the Waltair Division of East Coast Railway transported the first fly ash rake from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Simhadri in Vizag. The rake will be unloaded by ACC limited private siding at Thondebhavi station, South Western Railway, which is about 944 kilometers from the NTPC Vizag.

As per the press note, the fly ash generated at NTPC, as a byproduct, is usually dumped to sea or other landfilling locations. This causes environmental pollution and also safety hazards. However, the fly ash is ideal for using it in the manufacture of cement, concrete, concrete products, cellular concrete products, and bricks. But if transported via road, the ash will lead to environmental pollution.

The freight train consisted of 59 BOX-N wagons which can transport about 4000 metric tonnes of fly ash. It may be noted that this would have been transported in 250 trucks (approximately 18 tonnes capacity) by road.

The first rake was flagged off, on Thursday, by Divisional Railway Manager, Waltair, Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, Group General Manager, NTPC Simhadri, Diwakar Kaushik and GM(O&M) of NTPC Simhadri, Shri GC Choukse, and DGM (Procurement-South Cluster Region-ACC), Rajesh Nair. Speaking on the occasion, Waltair Divisional Railway Manager, Waltair DRM said that the initiative will not only generate additional loading to the railways, but it is also an environmentally friendly means of transporting fly ash by trains.

Sharing that Railways will act as a link between fly ash generators and consumption centers, he noted this will contribute to strengthening the partnership into a long-term one between the two parties. The newly set-up Business Development Unit has played a key role in bringing this new traffic to the Railways, Mr Shrivastava added.