SCR completes electrification works on Renigunta-Guntakal section

Hydreabad, Feb 5 : The South Central Railway has introduced 25 KV AC Electric Traction on 130 Km Muddanuru-Guntakal double line Broad Gauge section, consequent on completion of electrification on this section.

This follows the inspection and sanction accorded by Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Central Circle, Secunderabad for introduction of public carriage of passengers and goods on the section on 31st Jan. 2014. With the CRS approval for the Muddanuru-Guntakal newly electrified section, SCR will operate trains on electric traction from Renigunta through to Guntakal.

Accordingly, the following two express trains will be run on electric traction (ie., hauled by electric locomotive) on Renigunta-Guntakal section with immediate effect: Train No. 11041/11042 Mumbai CST – Chennai Central – Mumbai CST Express and Train No. 11027/11028 Mumbai CST – Chennai Central – Mumbai CST Mail.

It is also planned to run five more trains on electric traction shortly. These include: Train No. 17415/17416 Tirupati – Kolhapur – Tirupati Haripriya Express; Tr. No. 57273/57274 Hubli-Tirupati-Hubli Intercity Passenger; Tr. No. 17429/17430 Hyderabad – Tirupati – Hyderabad Rayalaseema Express; Tr. No.16381/16382 Mumbai CST-Kanniyakumari-Mumbai CST Jayanti Janata Express and Train No. 12163/12164 Mumbai Dadar-Chennai Egmore-Mumbai Dadar Superfast Express.

The Electrification of this vital route was sanctioned in FY 2004-05. Works started from Renigunta and the track between Renigunta and Muddanur (180 kms) was gradually electrified in various phases during the period 2008-12. Subsequently, works have been taken up in the remaining stretch from Muddanur to Guntakal (130 kms).

The last leg on this route, a 30 km long Gooty-Guntakal section, has also been energed on 5th December, 2013, enabling running of goods trains on electric traction seamlessly from Chennai/Krishnapatnam Ports to Guntakal. At present, 50 Goods trains are being run on an average per day on this section. Complete electrification on this section will give boost to the freight traffic, especially to the movement of coal, iron ore and cement etc., on this route.

While the works on Renigunta to Nandaluru section (87 kms) were executed by Railway Electrification Unit, Chennai, the works from Nandaluru to Guntakal (223 kms) were taken up by M/s. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). Now that CRS has cleared Muddanuru-Guntakal section for public traffic, Express / passenger trains will also be run directly up to Guntaka with immediate effect.. The total expenditure on this challenging electrification project, spread over 310 route kms (736 track kms) is around Rs. 392 cr. Several infrastructural units such as 22 switching stations; 5 maintenance depots and 5 Traction substations form part of this project.

At present, South Central Railway has got 41% of its route kms electrified i.e. 2375 route kms, out of a total of 5810 route kms. In addition, electrification works on another major section from Guntakal to Wadi are under active progress and works on Guntur to Guntakal route will also be taken up shortly.

Running the trains on electric traction yields several operational and economic benefits. An extended network of electrified Railway lines will enable seamless running of trains over long distances without any need for loco change from electric to diesel and vice-versa. It reduces the travel time benefiting the passengers and freight customers. Due to lesser detentions, average speed of the goods trains and passenger trains increases, which in turn improves availability of crew. Electric traction leads to considerable savings due to conservation of Diesel which is imported using hard earned foreign exchange. Electric traction is pollution free and considerable energy saving which is economically beneficial.

SCR General Manager PK Srivastava complemented the team of SCR’s officers for the commendable achievement for bringing the Muddanuru-Guntakal section of SCR completely on electric traction. He advised the officials to speed up the progress of electrification on other sanctioned routes also so as to derive the optimal operational benefit.  INN