BENGALURU: In a relief for thousands of intra-city commuters, especially those working on Outer Ring Road and Electronics City, electrification work between Byappanahalli and Hosur (48km) has been completed.
Electrification of Byappanahalli-Anekal (34km) line was commissioned in March. The commissioner of rail safety (CRS) on Thursday inspected the remaining section between Anekal and Periyanaganthunai stations and cleared it for traffic. Electrification work between Periyanaganthunai and Omalur is expected to be completed by March 2021.
Bengaluru divisional railway manager Ashok Kumar Verma said CRS inspection was successfully completed. “This will help operate Memu services on the Byappanahalli-Hosur section. We will also convert conventional trains into Memu services between Bengaluru and Hosur. The 16-coach Memu rake has much more capacity compared to a conventional train,” he said.
Electrification of the section is expected to reduce travel time by 5-10%. In 2017, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited had floated tenders for electrification of the 196-km Byappanahalli-Omalur (via Hosur) single-line section.
Trains can travel faster from Yelahanka to Chikkaballapur
The travel time between Yelahanka and Chikkaballapur is expected to reduce with the Bengaluru division on Friday getting the nod for upgrading trains’ sanctioned speed along the 46km section from 75kmph to 100kmph.
South Western Railway raised the maximum permissible speed after a speed trial was conducted at 110kmph on November 5.