Western Railway posts six-fold increase in electrification of lines in last five years
HUBBALI: In the last five years, a whopping six-fold increase has been recorded in the electrification of railway lines under the South Western Railway (SWR) network. In the current fiscal year, the Railway zone has targeted to electrify 692 route kilometers.
The line electrification work has gained pace in the past few years. In 2016, only 208 kilometers of line, which is 10 per cent of the total railway network of the SWR, was electrified. But it has increased to 1,233 kilometers by March 2021, covering 34 per cent of the entire network.
According to SWR chief public relations officer Aneesh Hegde, with more than 598.7 kilometers of electrification, the SWR has logged the highest ever figure in the electrification of routes in the last 16 months. It is part of ongoing green initiatives of the Indian Railway achieving the goal of Net Zero Carbon Emission. The Railway is electrifying its entire rail network to provide greener transport and reduce carbon footprint.
In SWR jurisdiction, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited and Central Organization for Railway Electrification are executing the Electrification works. In the period from July 2020 to March 2021, 477 km of electrification work has been completed in SWR and authorization of Commissioner of Railway Safety has also been received.
Before 2017, only 208 km, between Bengaluru and Jolarpettai, was electrified, but later gained the pace. Subsequently, in 2016-17 alone 259 km electrified. Later in 2017-18, it was 95 km, followed by 41.6 km in 2018-19. Electrification of 143.1 km has been completed in 2019-20.
Electrification has now been completed between Hubballi-Ballari and Ballari Rayadurga fully. That between Hubballi and Bengaluru line is expected to be completed by March 2023. As per targets, by December 2023, all the major routes of SWR will be electrified.
Recently, reviewing ongoing electrification works, SWR general manager Sanjeev Kishore directed the officials to plan works targeted for the current financial year for completion by January or February. Electrification of Railway lines, besides being environment friendly, would also save foreign exchange reserves spent on High-Speed Diesel Oil.
The sections targeted to electrify in this year are: Palakoddu-Sivadi-Omalur (76 km), Yelahanka-Chikballapur (45), Kalgurki-Wandal (20), Londa-Tinaighat (11), Arsikere-Birur-Chikjajur (113), Mysuru-Chamarajanagar (61), Gadag-Hole Alur (41), Tumakuru-Kardi (40), Tinaighat-Castlerock and Kulem-Madgaon,(47) and Bangarpet- Srinivaspur (44).