Powering the Rails: Karnataka Surges with 74% Railway Route Electrification!

37011 RKM of Broad Gauge Network of IR electrified in past nine years

As of June 30, 2023, the Indian Railway has electrified a total of 59,096 Route kilometers (RKM) of its Broad Gauge network. Notably, a significant portion of this electrification, specifically 37,011 RKM, has been completed in the last nine years. – Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Railways, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

Karnataka has electrified 2,844 KM out of its total 3,836 KM railway routes as on 30th June 2023. Approximately 27% of electrification work is still pending in SWR. But it is noteworthy to mention that Karnataka has taken a giant leap in electrification from a paltry 10% to 74 % in the last 10 years. 

The Status of Electrification of the routes in the state is as follows:

• Bengaluru – Hassan/Arsikere/Mysuru – Mangaluru: A major portion of this route is yet to be completely electrified.

• Chikkabanavara – Kunigal, Mysuru – Sagarkatte, Tini Ghat – Castle Rock: Electrification has been completed.

• Sagarkatte- Hosa Agrahara, Kabakaputtur -Padil, Belagavi-Ghataprabha, Kudachi-Miraj, Bagalkot-Wandal, Kumsi-Talaguppa, Mariyammanahalli-SwamiHalli, Sakarayapatna-Chikkamagaluru, Arsikere-Hassan: These sections are in an advanced stage of completion.

• Davangere – Hospete railway line (between Vyasa Colony and Amaravathi Colony section): The electrification project is still in the tender stage.

• Bidar – Kalaburagi railway line (between Taj Sultanpur and Khanapur section): The electrification project is still in the tender stage.

• The Mysuru-Chamarajanagar railway line is mostly electrified, except for a 900-meter link near Mysuru airport, which still needs electrification due to a pending NOC from AAI for installing OHE.

To ensure timely completion of railway electrification work, the Indian Railways has implemented several measures:

• The formation of the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) portal to address and resolve constraints faced during commissioning.
• Establishment of the ‘Gati Shakti Directorate’ in the Railway Board to expedite project approvals at the board level.
• Implementation of an effective project monitoring mechanism.
• Execution of large-scale projects using the ‘Engineering Procurement and Construction’ (EPC) contract mode.
• Arrangement of assured funding for projects.
• Decentralization of financial powers to field units to speed up project execution and completion.

These measures have been put in place to enhance the efficiency and pace of railway electrification in India.