New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS): Nearly one-and-half years after the train services were halted between Dhanbad and Chandrapur, the railways has decided to reopen the 42-km stretch, after it received the clearance from the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety, railway officials said on Monday.

The 42-km stretch was closed following a report from the Director General of Mine Safety (DGMS) on June 15, 2017, which found that the stretch had become dangerous for train movement owing to underground mines fire in Dhanbad.

In a statement, the Railway Ministry said on Monday: "On the certificate from DGMS, different sections of lines between Dhanbad-Kusunda, Sonardih-Chandrapura and Katrasgarh-Nichitpur link line were opened for traffic between June and November 2017.

"Recently, authorisation for reopening of the remaining section for goods and passenger trains between Kusunda and Sonardih has been received from Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety, after joint inspection with the DGMS," it said.

It also said that some works have been identified for repair and rehabilitation of this line. "After completion of these works, the section will be opened for traffic by the East Central Railway," it added.