B Anbuselvan By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Railway infrastructure is all set to get a boost in Tamil Nadu with the Railway Board recently approving electrification of eight sections, running for about 1100 km, across the State for 2019-2020.

The Central Organisation Of Railway Electrification, one of the engineering wings of the railways, has been entrusted with the task of electrifying lines.

Besides, the 44 km Kollam - Punalur section which opened last year will also get electrified, revealed official documents.

“The electrification of the tracks would cut the operational cost by 15 per cent. Besides being environmental-friendly, the electrified line would also eliminate loco change over of trains thereby reducing the travel time by 20 to 30 minutes. In addition, maintenance of locomotives also will improve the operational efficiency,” said a senior railway official.

The official added that electrification work is likely to be taken up in another few months.

According to Southern Railway records, as on November 30, 2018, the State has 4027 km railway lines out of which 3850 km broad gauge (single/double) lines are in use, while 177 km lines are in various stages of conversion from metre gauge to broad gauge.

The Union government’s report submitted to Parliament last year revealed that as on April 1, 2017, the State has 1,851 BG electrified lines which accounts for 45 per cent of the total track length.

The electrification percentage in Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana) and West Bengal, which are relatively larger than Tamil Nadu in terms of the population stood at 77.77 and 64.84 per cent respectively, while smaller states like Kerala, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have got more than 75 per cent electrified tracks.

“Despite being sixth most populous State in the country and one of the highly passenger revenue generated state in Indian Railways, Tamil Nadu lags behind many states in railway infrastructure because of the step-motherly treatment by railways for decades,” said Kanniyakumari rail users association general secretary P Edward Jeni.

It may be recalled that Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, another engineering arm of railways, recently took up electrification of 192 km Villupuram - Thanjavur mainline and 38.5 km Mayiladuthurai - Thiruvarur branch line at a cost of Rs 329 crore.