CHENNAI: Eight years after completion of gauge conversion works, electrification of the 192-km Villupuram-Thanjavur main line and the 38.5-km Mayiladuthurai-Tiruvarur branch line has commenced recently.
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), an engineering wing of the Railways, has been entrusted with the task of completing the electrification of the 230.5-km stretch at the cost of `329 crore.While the Chennai has electrified double lines to southern Tamil Nadu (Chennai-Madurai) and western Tamil Nadu (Chennai-Coimbatore), the 192-km Villupuram-Cuddalore Port-Mayiladuthurai- Thanjavur single line provides connectivity of delta region with Chennai.
The section passes through smaller towns and pilgrimage stations including Thirupadripuliyur, Cuddalore Port, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Vaitheeswaran Koil, Papanasam, Aduturai and Kumbakonam. It serves as an alternative route for Chennai-Tiruchy-Madurai chord line.
“As part of electrification, civil works to form earthen embankment from Cuddalore to Villupuram have started. Electrical poles have also been planted wherever possible. During the first phase, the 46-km Villupuram-Cuddalore Port is planned to be completed by December 2019,” a senior official from RVNL told Express.
As part of electrification works, four electrical substations will be built each at Cuddalore Port, Kollidam, Mayiladuthurai and Sundaraperumalkoil. “There are about 24 block stations to be developed. The track passes through 44 stations and four major junctions. Fourteen rail overbridges and 12 foot overbridges will also be built and 40 inter-locked level-crossing gates will be set up,” added the official.
The electrification would enable the Railways to operate trains with electrical locos to various destinations in the delta region without loco reversal at Villupuram.“Presently, electrical locos of all daily express trains are operated via mainline, getting detached and diesel locos attached at Villupuram. Once, the electrification is completed, the trains can be speeded up by 30 minutes. In addition, the electrification would also reduce the operational cost of the Railways,” said a Southern Railway official.
Presently, nine daily expresses including Chennai-Tiruchy Cholan Express, Chennai-Mannargudi Mannai Express, Chennai-Thanjavur Uzhavan Express, Chennai-Tiruchendur Express, Chennai-Rameswaram Boatmail Express and Chennai-Karaikkal Kamban Express are operated via main line. Besides, six weekly trains are operated through non-electrified single line. According to official records, track utilisation between Villupuram and Thanjavur has exceeded 130 per cent.