Date:22/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/22/stories/2008082253210400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Chennai-Tiruchi electrification to be completed by year-end

Special Correspondent

Electrification works till Ariyalur have been completed: R. Velu

— Photo: V. Ganesan

MAKING ANNOUNCEMENTS: Minister of State for Railways R. Velu addressing the press in Chennai on Thursday.

CHENNAI: By the end of the year, Chennai–Tiruchi train travel will become quicker with the completion of overhead electrification. Moreover, there will not be an additional ten-to-fifteen minute stop at Villupuram to change engines.

The same engine that hauls the coaches from here will run up to Tiruchi. As the average speed of the electrical engine is higher than that of the diesel engine, the journey is likely to be cut by at least half-an-hour, even if there are no major improvements in the Railway tracks.

“The electrification works till Ariyalur have been completed. We will complete till Tiruchi by the end of the year,” R.Velu, Minister of State for Railways, told presspersons here on Thursday. The Tiruchi – Madurai section would be taken up for electrification after that.

The Minister said the zone was awaiting safety clearance from the Safety Commissioner on the Tirunelveli – Tiruchendur line.

He was hopeful that this would happen in about a week. Once this happens, three pairs of trains would be operated in the section, he said.

On the doubling of tracks, he said trains were expected to run in Kodai Road – Madurai section in October and work was on in the Kodai Road – Dindigul section.

On conversion from metre gauge to broad gauge, he said as much as 485 km in the State would be converted this year.

In two years, the entire 720 km left out would be converted to broad gauge, he added.