HUBBALLI: In the current financial year 2022-23, the South Western Railway has targeted railway line electrification of 750-800 route kilometers and a doubling of 250 kilometers of line length, including the remaining 45 kilometers of the Hubballi-Bengaluru route, SWR general manager Sanjeev Kishore said on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference, Kishore said that around 50 percent of the total network of the SWR, which is 3,566 route kilometers, has already been electrified and the rest would be completed in the next two years. By the end of FY24, the entire SWR network was covered with electrification. The infrastructure could be laid but getting electric locomotive and trained pilots would be a challenging task.
Stating that as there is a human interface with the machine, the security of the passenger was paramount, he noted. The line electrification was not just laying wires but it involved a lot of hard work such as ensuring power connecting, installing sub-stations and other groundworks. The GM hoped the scarcity of locomotives and pilots would be addressed in a phased manner.
As just 45 kilometers of the length of line doubling has remained on the Hubballi-Bengaluru line, it would be completed by March next year and electrification work on the route would be taken up simultaneously, Kishore said, however, added that electrification works might be completed by June 2023. By next year this time capacity expansion could be made on this route, he noted.
Doubling of 45 kilometers between Khanapur-Suladal on the Londa-Miraj line, 30-40 kilometers on Raichur-Gigagera and Gadag-Wadi lines would be completed in the current fiscal. Doubling and electrification of Hindupur-Penakonda and increasing the yards at these places have improved the interface between the SWR and South Central Railway, he said.
The GM said, as far as laying new lines, the SWR has taken Davangere-Chitraduraga -Tumakuru, Ranebennur-Shikaripura-Shivamogga and Dharwad-Belagavi lines are on priority. The tender has been floated for laying a 24-kilometer line on the Davangere-Chitradurga section and land acquisition for the Ranebennur-Shivamogga line is likely to see the light of the day. All papers concerned with land acquisition for Dharwad-Belagavi have been given to the State government.
What more did GM did say?
- Total originating earning for FY23 was Rs 6,215 crore
- Rs 4,160 crore from freight earning and Rs 1,575 crore from passenger earning
- 91 trains of SWR are running with electric traction
- SWR stands fourth among all zones in punctuality with 94.26 percent
- 12 ROBs and 33 RUB/subways are constructed
- 184 kilometers of the track are renewed
- 83 automatic ticket vending machines