Senior railway engineer inspects Thiruthuraipoondi-Pattukottai electrified stretch

The Principal Chief Electrical Engineer of Southern Railway Ganesh carried out mandatory inspection of the electrified Thiruthuraipoondi-Pattukottai broad gauge section following completion of overhead electrification work along the stretch.

Accompanied by senior Southern Railway officers, including Chief Engineer, Construction Sundaresan, and Additional Divisional Railway Manager K.M. Sathiyia Rathan, Mr. Ganesh commenced his day-long inspection in the morning from Thiruthuraipoond railway junction travelling on board an inspection special train hauled by a diesel locomotive.

As part of his inspection on the nearly 51-km stretch, Mr. Ganesh inspected the electrical arrangements, profile of overhead electrical system, earthing systems, and other safety related aspects along the stretch. He interacted with the station masters and railway staff enroute in view of the shift to electrified stretch and checked their preparedness to operate in the electrified section, said a senior railway officer.

Thereafter, the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer conducted a speed trial run travelling on board the inspection special hauled by an electrical locomotive from Pattukottai to Thiruthuraipoondi Junction in the evening. The speed trial run was carried out at a maximum speed of 105 kmph, the officer said and added that the entire inspection went off successfully.

The Southern Railway Construction Organisation is executing the overhead electrification project on the Tiruvarur-Thiruthuraipoondi-Pattukottai-Aranthangi-Karaikudi BG section in phases.  The nearly 150-km section passes through Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, and Sivaganga districts making it one of the longest sections within the vast limits of the Tiruchi Railway Division. With the overhead electrification work having been completed up to Pattukottai from Tiruvarur Junction, the last leg of the project from Pattukottai to Karaikudi is under way. 

The final stretch from Pattukottai to Karaikudi via Aranthangi is targeted for completion by June, the officer said. As part of the project, two traction substations will come up at Thiruthuraipoondi and Pattukottai. Although the Tiruvarur-Karaikudi section via Thiruthuraipoondi section was converted from metre gauge to broad gauge, the overhead electrification project was taken up separately. The Tiruvarur-Karaikudi stretch via Thiruthuraipoondi, Pattukottai and Aranthangi stations, will be the last section in the Tiruchi Railway Division to become electrified, the officer added.