The 741-km Konkan Railway network is likely to witness trains hauled by electric locomotivess after this June even as Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL), successfully conducted trial run of an electric locomotive between Thokur near Mangaluru and Karwar (238 km) last week.
KRCL’s stretch between Roha and Ratnagiri (203 km) in Maharashtra has already witnessed successful trial run of an electric locomotive about a fortnight ago. Both the stretches were awaiting statutory inspection by the Commissioner for Railway Safety for certification to operate electric loco-hauled trains.
Corporation’s Regional Railway Manager in Karwar B.B. Nikam told The Hindu KRCL was expecting CRS inspection by this month-end. Electrification of the track between Karwar and Ratnagiri (about 300 km) will take another three months after which the entire KR network will be covered under Railway Electrification project.
The trial run of the electric locomotive, backed by a diesel one (in case of emergency), started at 9.40 a.m. from Thokur last Sunday and the locomotive successfully reached Karwar at 12.44 p.m.
In the return direction, the locomotive commenced its run at 1.40 p.m. and reached Karwar at 4.10 p.m., according to KRCL’s Public Relations Manager in Mangaluru Sudha Krishnamoorthy.
The trial run passed through 22 stations including two new along KR network between Thokur and Karwar.
According to KRCL’s Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Gupta, the corporation could save at least ₹100 crore on its annual energy bills; which at present come to around ₹300 crore due to running of diesel locos.
Since trains would be hauled by electric locomotives instead of diesel, it contributes to environment conservation too.
KRCL took up the Railway Electrification Project at an estimated cost of ₹1,100 crore along with path-doubling work since 2017. Railway Electrification was undertaken in two packages—Roha to Verna in Goa and Verna to Thokur.
The 741-km network of KRCL will have 15 traction sub-stations to facilitate running of electric locomotivess, including six in Karwar region—Mulki, Barkur, Senapura, Murdeshwar, Kumta, and Bali.
