A day prior to conducting a speed trial in the newly electrified Virudhunagar–Tirunelveli section, Commissioner of Railway Safety Sathish Kumar Mittal on Wednesday inspected the sub-stations and other facilities created as part of the electrification work.
Accompanied by Divisional Railway Manager (Madurai) A.K. Rastogi, and Chief Project Manager, Railway Electrification, R.P. Udayakumar, Mr. Mittal reached Tirunelveli junction around 2 p.m. and left for Madurai in the inspection car after the inspection.
The two-day inspection focuses on every aspect of electric traction in the stations en route and all relay rooms, including traction sub-stations at Virudhunagar and Kovilpatti. Mr. Mittal will conduct the speed trial on Thursday.
The inspection of the Commissioner of Railway Safety prior to introduction of 25 KV AC traction for passenger service will pave the way for faster passenger train services in the section, which at present go through a traction change from electric to diesel and diesel to electric locomotives at Madurai.
The electrification project between Madurai and Tirunelveli/Tuticorin – a distance of 189 kilometres – has been completed at a cost of Rs 175 crore. The fund was sanctioned in 2009-2010, and the project was started in May 2010.
