PALAKKAD: In a significant move to improve rail operations and reduce travel time, Southern Railway has decided to replace the existing tramway-type overhead equipment (OHE) with a conventional OHE system in the 21-km rail section between Punkunnam and Guruvayur.
Railway authorities said the work is part of ongoing infrastructure upgrades being undertaken across the Southern Railway network to enhance sectional speed and operational efficiency.
The conversion to a conventional OHE system will remove existing speed-related constraints and facilitate higher permissible speeds for trains operating on the branch line.
Railway engineers consider conventional OHE systems more suitable for higher-speed operations due to their improved stability, reliability and ease of maintenance.
“The stretch currently has a sanctioned speed of up to 90 kmph. However, because it uses a tramway-type OHE system, there are limitations on further speed enhancement. Once the OHE is upgraded to the conventional system, the section will be capable of supporting train operations at speeds of up to 130 kmph, subject to track and signalling requirements.
This could pave the way for the introduction of faster train services to Guruvayur in the future,” said a senior official with the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division.
The upgradation, estimated to cost Rs 11.22 crore, is scheduled to be completed within a year. The Punkunnam-Guruvayur route serves thousands of pilgrims travelling to the Guruvayur Temple as well as daily commuters.
Level crossing gates to become more ‘efficient’
The Thiruvananthapuram Division has begun upgrading interlocked level crossings with Electrically Operated Lifting Barriers (EOLBs), enhancing both safety and operational efficiency.
Once commissioned, the gates can be opened and closed at the push of a button, replacing the existing manually operated winding mechanism. The system is expected to reduce the physical effort required by gatekeepers and enable quicker operation of level crossing gates.
The upgraded barriers are also equipped with a sliding boom (SLB) mechanism. In the event of a vehicle accidentally damaging a gate boom, crossing staff can quickly slide the spare boom into position
and restore the signalling system with minimal disruption, helping ensure the safe and uninterrupted movement of trains.
