Track electrification has received a major impetus during the current financial year despite the hiccups as a consequent to the pandemic.
The railway authorities have completed electrification of 162 route km of track in the State spread across the three railway divisions and it is scheduled for track inspection by the Commissioner for Rail Safety. While 50 km stretch has been electrified in Mysuru division, 47 km has been covered in Bengaluru, and 65 km in Hubballi division.
In the Mysuru railway division, 50 route km of track between Thalaku and Chitradurga will be inspected on March 9 and this is part of the section between Ballari and Chikjajur.
The railway authorities here said that track electrification is part of the ongoing drive by the Indian Railways to complete the electrification of the broad gauge network by 2023.
Incidentally, the Mysuru Railway Division received adequate funding in the Union Budget for track electrification and this is expected to expedite the exercise.
The division has received ₹112 crore for the year 2021-22 for the Mysuru-Hassan section which also connects to Mangaluru and is a major route for both freight and passenger traffic.
As track electrification works does not hinge on land acquisition the works are expected to be completed as scheduled, according to the sources. The route length of the Mysuru-Hassan-Mangaluru stretch (including the link to Arsikere) is 347 km and is expected to be fully electrified within the next 3 years.
This stretch in the Mysuru division also received the highest allocation in the entire State for electrification. The Mysuru-Chamarajanagar section which received ₹17.83 crore will cover 61 km and the Kadur-Chikkamagaluru section covering a distance of 46 km has received ₹5.89 crore.
The authorities said Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. is executing the electrification works in the State and apart from Mysuru division, works on 47 route km of track between Periyanagathunai-Palakkodu, which is part of Baiyyappanahalli-Omalur Section, will be inspected by CRS on Sunday.
The authorities said so far 72 route km between Baiyyappanahali-Anekal Road-Periyanagathunai has been commissioned in this section. With this, total of 119 route km out of 196 route km will be completed which will facilitate faster running of trains between Baiyyappanahalli and Omalur and also suburban train services.
Similarly, in the Hubballi railway division the CRS will inspect 65 route km of stretch between Hubballi and Alnawar on March 8 and this is part of Hosapete-Hubballi-Vasco section. All the mandatory works such as tests and inspection by senior Railway officials have been completed and the mandatory electric loco trial prior to CRS inspection too has been completed, said the authorities.
