Doubling of the 1.5-km railway line between Netravathi Cabin and Mangaluru Central Railway Station was nearing completion and non-interlocked work for connecting the new line to other lines will begin in the second week of February.
Announcing this during his Republic Day address after hoisting the National Flag at the divisional headquarters Palakkad on Tuesday, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Trilok Kothari also said that the Passenger Reservation System facility was shifted to a new building at Mangaluru Central.
Electrification of the 15-km crucial stretch between Mangaluru Junction and Jokatte was completed this month. Electrification of the remaining section between Jokatte and Panambur Yard and sidings within New Mangalore Port is in an advanced stage and it will be completed before March. This will help improve operation of trains as changing of engines, from diesel to electric and vice-versa could be avoided, he said.
Mr. Kothari said that the division utilised the COVID-19 lockdown to strengthen the railway infrastructure and emerged as the first division in Southern Railway to have 100 % interlocked level crossings. By completing tamping operations on tracks, there was no tamping overdue of plain tracks resulting in excellent ride quality. Through rail renewals were done on 82-km of track, while deep screening of Ballast by Ballast Cleaning Machine was completed on 82 km of tracks, including deep screening of 28 points and crossings.
R. Raghuraman, Additional DRM-I, C.T. Sakkeer Hussain, ADRM-II and others were present. Jethin B. Raj, Divisional Security Commissioner of Railway Protection Force, organised the parade which was commanded by RPF Inspector from Kannur Binoy Antony.
Konkan Railway
Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. celebrated the 72nd Republic Day at its headquarters at Konkan Rail Vihar-Nerul, Navi Mumbai. KRCL Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Gupta unfurled the National Flag and delivered the Republic Day address.
Similar functions were organised in Ratnagiri and Karwar regions of KRCL, said a communiqué.
