BENGALURU: To boost rail capacity on one of Karnataka’s busiest rail corridors, Indian Railways has sanctioned a Rs 162.57-crore project to upgrade the electric traction system on the Bengaluru-Tumakuru section of South Western Railway.
The project will convert the existing electric traction system to a more advanced system across 120 track km. The Bengaluru-Tumakuru stretch forms part of the high-traffic Pune-Hubballi-Chikjajur-Birur-Tumakuru-Bengaluru-Salem-Kanniyakumari corridor, a key route linking major economic and industrial centres.
According to a press release, the upgraded traction system will strengthen power supply for train operations, enabling the section to handle higher traffic volumes more efficiently. It will also support the operation of longer passenger trains and heavier freight services while improving the reliability of the electric traction network.
The upgrade is expected to ease congestion on the busy route serving Bengaluru and adjoining districts, facilitating smoother passenger and freight movement across Karnataka and southern India.