Green flag for track electrification between M’luru-Mysuru

aaron, Apr 27, 2019, 1:35 PM IST

Mangaluru: The track electrification of the Mysuru – Hassan – Mangaluru railway track along Bengaluru-Mangaluru route which connects the coast with the state’s capital is expected to be implemented soon in two phases.

This project will be managed by Allahabad based Central Organisation for Railway Electrification which comes under the Railway Department. For now, initial preparations have been taken by conducting a survey along the route.

Rs 316 crores set aside

According to sources from the railways, Rs 316 crore has been set aside in the union budget for the electrification of Mysuru – Hassan – Mangaluru track. There is a possibility that the wok between Mangaluru – Hassan will be taken first, followed by the work between Hassan-Mysuru. Besides, the electrification of Hassan – Arasikere track has also been considered. The final decision remains to be published. In this backdrop, the railway track from Padil in Mangaluru to Sakhleshpur in Hassan will undergo electrification via Bantwal, Kabaka, Puttur, Yedamangala and Subrahmanya Ghat.

Eco-sensitive area

Since Subrahmanya – Sakleshpur route is a eco-sensitive area, it is clouded with many restrictions. As there are many turns here, there is no opportunity to run many trains along this route in the backdrop of safety concerns. The speed too is limited. Hence, track electrification here is a challenging work. Even after electrification, trains that pass through here have to limit their speed. With electrification, the environment pollution caused by the use of diesel will be given a miss as well as the expenses will be reduced, points out West coast Railway Passenger Development Committee’s Technical Advisor Anil Hegde. In Konkan Railways, 741km of railway track between Thokur near Surathkal and Roha in Maharashtra is undergoing electrification.

The 328km track electrification between Shornur in Kerala and Mangaluru by the Southern Railways has already been completed up to Mangaluru Junction (Kankanady) and is being pushed forward up to Thokur. Even as two railway tracks connecting with Karavali are undergoing upgradation, the South-Western Railways has kept forward the electrification of Mysuru – Hassan – Mangaluru route.

The track from Bengaluru to Mysuru has already undergone electrification and the remaining almost 310 km of track to Mangaluru needs to be electrified. Of this, electrification of Mangaluru-Hassan track has been sanctioned, inform sources.

Mangaluru – Hassan sanctioned

“Permission has been sanctioned for the electrification of the railway track between Mangaluru-Hassan. This will be managed by Allahabad based Central Organisation for Railway Electrification Division,” informed Aparna Garg, Railway Manager, Mysuru Division