The Railway Board has sanctioned electrification of Nidamangalam-Mannargudi broad gauge stretch.
The overhead electrification project will be executed by Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE), which is carrying out electrification works in Tiruvarur–Karaikal broad gauge section.
The communication from the Railway Board according sanction for electrifying the 13-km Nidamangalam–Mannargudi stretch came last month. With the sanction comimg through, CORE will take up the project once the overhead electrification works up to Karaikal are completed by March, a senior CORE official told The Hindu .
The Nidamangalam-Mannargudi broad gauge stretch has been awaiting sanction from the Railway Board for electrification. At present, express trains leaving from Mannargudi to different destinations within Tamil Nadu and other States are being hauled by diesel locomotives.
Four long distance express trains that leave from Mannargudi and go via Nidamangalam are Mannargudi-Bhagat Ki Kothi-Mannargudi expresses, Mannargudi-Coimbatore- Mannargudi Chemmozhi expresses, Mannargudi- Chennai Egmore-Mannargudi Mannai expresses and Mannargudi- Tirupati- Mannargudi Pamani expresses.
CORE was entrusted with the task of electrifying the Tiruchi-Thanjavur-Tiruvarur-Karaikal section running through the fertile delta region a few years ago.
The Tiruchi-Thanjavur double line section had been energised and statutory clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Bengaluru for operation of electric-loco hauled express and freight trains came in March last.
Ooverhead electrification works in the stretch from Thanjavur to Tiruvarur have been completed and awaiting inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.
Works to electrify the last leg from Tiruvarur to Karaikal via Nidamangalam and Nagapattinam is under way and targeted for completion by March.
After completion of works up to Karaikal, CORE will thereafter take up electrification projects in the Nagapattinam-Velankanni and Nidamangalam–Mannargudi stretches, the official said.
With Nidamangalam-Mannargudi stretch sanctioned for electrification, the other stretch in the delta region that remains to electrified is from Tiruvarur to Karaikudi via Pattukottai, Peravurani and Aranthangi. This is the section which was converted from metre to broad gauge.
The mainline section from Villupuram to Thanjavur via Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam also falling under the vast limits of Tiruchi Railway Division is currently being electrified by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Railways.
