New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) The Indian Railways has sanctioned two significant projects to upgrade the existing 1×25 kV electric traction system to a modern 2×25 kV electric traction system with a total investment of Rs 447.58 crore, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Railways on Monday.

The two projects include the 120 km Bengaluru-Tumkur section of the South Western Railway and the 141 km Mahbubnagar-Secunderabad-Medchal section of the South Central Railway.

The Bengaluru-Tumkur project involves the conversion of the existing 1×25 kV electric traction system to a 2×25 kV electric traction system over a stretch of 120 Track Kilometres (TKM) on Karnataka’s busiest rail corridor, for which the sanctioned cost is Rs 162.57 crore.

This section forms part of the strategically important Highly Utilised Network (HUN) Route-10, which connects major economic and industrial centres along the Pune-Hubballi-Chikjajur-Birur-Tumkur-Bengaluru-Salem-Kanniyakumari corridor.

The adoption of the 2×25 kV traction system will strengthen power supply arrangements for train operations, enabling the section to handle higher traffic volumes more efficiently. The upgraded system is expected to support the operation of heavier freight trains and longer passenger services while improving the overall reliability of electric traction infrastructure, the statement said.

The project will contribute to decongesting a key rail route serving the Bengaluru metropolitan region and adjoining districts, while also supporting smoother movement of passenger and freight traffic across Karnataka and southern India. The enhancement aligns with Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to modernise its electrical infrastructure, increase network capacity and improve operational performance on high-density corridors.

The Mahbubnagar-Secunderabad-Medchal section of the South Central Railway. will be upgraded to a modern 2×25 kV electric traction system at a cost of Rs 285.01 crore.

The project is part of Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to enhance capacity on busy rail corridors across the country. The introduction of the 2×25 kV system will provide a more stable and efficient power supply for train operations, making rail services smoother, safer and more reliable.

The Mahbubnagar-Secunderabad-Medchal section is part of one of the country’s important High-Density Network (HDN) routes. It falls on the Dharmavaram-Dhone-Mahbubnagar-Secunderabad-Medchal-Mudkhed-Indore-Ajmer rail corridor, which carries substantial passenger and freight traffic.

Upon completion, the project will further improve train operations on the route. Freight movement will become more efficient, enhancing both the speed and capacity of goods transportation. The project is also expected to support trade, industry and economic activity across the region, the statement added.

–IANS

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