Konkan Railway gets ready for new power corridor

This electric loco was used for the final trial on Wednesday

Marking the first phase of electrification of the Konkan Railway, authorities on Wednesday conducted the final trial on the Roha-Ratnagiri section. Subsequent trials will be held in the coming months and electric trains are expected to run on the entire 741-km stretch by June.

Once completed, the Konkan Railway will be one of the longest independent railway networks in the country to go electric. The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited manages the line between Roha in Maharashtra and Thokur in Karnataka. Trials have earlier been conducted on the 203-km-stretch between Roha and Ratnagiri, and Karwar and Thokur in Karnataka.

The final trial in Maharashtra by the Commissioner for Railway Safety was a statutory requirement. "Once the trials are complete today, a report and final certification would enable the Konkan Railway to start running electric trains," an official said.

A special seven-coach train with observation cars led by an electric loco and a back-up diesel loco left CSMT in the morning. The trial, which began after Roha, saw tests being carried out on the level-crossing gates, bridges and tunnels.

The electrification project, estimated at R1,100 crore, has been challenging due to the extremely difficult terrain of the Konkan Railway. Special arrangements had to be made at many locations to keep it going during monsoon. The line has 1,880 bridges and 91 tunnels, the longest running up to 6.5 km at Karbude near Ratnagiri. Its tallest overpass rises 64 metres above the Panval river at Ratnagiri.

Officials said the project will reduce energy cost by up to Rs 150 crore a year and air pollution as it will do away with smoke-spewing diesel locomotives.

MSRTC extends smart card validity

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation on Wednesday extended the validity of smart cards till September 30 in the wake of the COVID pandemic. "The smart cards issued to about 29 categories of citizens offer ticket fare concessions ranging from 33 per cent to 100 per cent as per eligibilities. This has been done to avoid crowding a bus depot and stands for card renewals," said state Transport Minister Anil Parab, who also heads the MSRTC.

741 km
Length of Konkan Rly

1,100 cr
Cost of electrification