The Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, will inspect the 68-km electrified stretch from Mayiladuthurai to Thanjavur via Kumbakonam on November 11.
He would inspection from Thanjavur Junction and halt at several places en route to check electrical installations up to Mayiladuthurai Junction. He would also conduct a speed trial run later travelling in the same special train from Mayiladuthurai to Thanjavur Junction.
The Mayiladuthurai - Thanjavur stretch is the last leg to be electrified on the 228-km mainline section from Villupuram Junction to Thanjavur via Cuddalore and Chidambaram. The RVNL which was entrusted with the task of executing the overhead electrification project on the mainline section had completed the works in phases: from Villupuram to Cuddalore at first and from Cuddalore to Mayiladuthurai later. Mandatory inspections by the Commissioner of Railway Safety were carried out separately in both portions and separate clearances obtained for operation of electric loco passenger trains up to Mayiladuthurai from Villupuram.
The final portion of the electrification project from Mayiladuthurai to Thanjavur suffered a setback due to the lockdown.
The work gained momentum a few months later following relaxations announced by the State government. A trial run was conducted in mid-October by deploying a single locomotive to run on the Mayiladuthurai-Thanjavur energised stretch. Relevant documents were submitted to the CRS inviting him to inspect the last portion of the electrified stretch. Late last month, the Southern Railway operated an electric loco hauled freight train transporting fertilizer on the Mayiladuthurai - Thanjavur electrified stretch up to Thanjavur for the first time after obtaining approval from the Southern Railway General Manager.
However, clearance from the CRS is mandatory for operating passenger trains on the Mayiladuthurai - Thanjavur - Mayiladuthurai energised stretch. The clearance would enable operation of electric loco hauled express trains on the entire mainline section on both directions up to Chennai and from that city to Tiruchi via Thanjavur.
