The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Electrification survey under way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 25, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Electrification survey under way

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 24 . A survey is being conducted by the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE), Allahabad, for possible electrification of the Mettupalayam-Ooty mountain railway.

Diesel locomotives now haul the specially designed coaches for the Nilgiris Mountain Railway from Mettupalayam to Ooty. As Indian Railways has a rolling stock of electric metre gauge locomotives, it wants to make use of them on the section.

As it is a steep gradient, the railways wants to study whether it would be possible for electric locos to haul the carriages before electrifying the section.

Talking to newsmen here today, the Chief Project Manager, CORE, Chennai Unit, S. Muralidharan, said the electrification would reduce the running time to a great extent which in turn would help increase the number of services on the section.

The CORE General Manager, C.R. Kalsi, who is now here, will inspect the section in this connection, he added.

Mr. Muralidharan said electrification of Kancheepuram-Takkolam section had been completed and the construction wing of Southern Railway would take up electrification work from Takkolam to Arakkonam after laying a new line.

Cost sharing

Referring to the electrification of the Villupuram-Pondicherry section, the CPM said that it was under consideration of the Railway Board. The Pondicherry Administration has agreed to share 50 per cent of the project cost.

Electrification of the Ernakulam-Kayankulam section via Alleppey as well as Kottayam was almost over, except for a few minor works here and there. However, for the convenience of the passengers, the section up to Kottayam and Alleppey would be thrown open for traffic by January. It would be a New Year gift for Kerala, he said.

Electrification work up to Kollam from Kayankulam would be completed before the end of the financial year, while the work between Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram would be taken up in the next financial year. The total cost of the Ernakulam- Thiruvananthapuram electrification project is Rs. 162 crores, while it is Rs. 90 crores up to Kayankulam.

Electrification of Tirupati-Pakala-Katpadi section and Renikunta-Nandalur on the Guntakkal section were in progress and would be completed soon.

Mr. Kalsi said the Chairman of the Railway Board had sent a congratulatory letter to the CORE for electrifying 530 km in the last financial year as against a target of 350 km and for making available 1007 route km for commercial services by opening various electrified sections.

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