In a measure towards Green Railway, SWR has been decided to convert 4 more trains to Electric Engines for full/major part of the run.
Train No.17415/17416 Tirupati – Chhatrapathi Sahu Maharaj Terminus Kolhapur – Tirupati Haripriya Daily Express with electric locomotive between Guntakal and SSS Hubballi with effect from 28.03.2022 for journey commencing from Tirupati and with effect from 29.03.2022 for journey commencing from Chatrapathi Sahu Maharaj Terminus Kolhapur. Earlier, this train was running with Diesel Locomotive from end to end i.e., between Tirupati and Chatrapathi Sahu Maharaj Terminus Kolhapur.
Haripriya Express will now run 64% of the route,i.e., between Tirupati and Hubballi with Electric Engine.i.e., 574 Kilometers (between Tirupati and SSS Hubballi) out of 900 Km of its journey.
Similarly, T. No. 17313/17314 SSS Hubballi – MGR Chennai Central – SSS Hubballi Express will run with Electric Locomotive between SSS Hubballi and Guntakal with effect from 30.03.2022 for train journey commencing from SSS Hubballi and with effect from 31.03.2022 for train journey commencing from MGR Chennai Central. Earlier this train was running with electric locomotive between Guntakal and MGR Chennai only . Now the train will be run by Electric Loco end to end.
Running of these 4 trains with electrical engines for major part of the route is expected to save more than 5000 litres of Diesel, every day. In South Western Railway in last two financial years 2019-20 and 2020-21, 48 trains – 24 in each year, have been taken over/extended to run on Electric Engines.
Sanjeev Kishore, General Manager, South Western Railway has told that in the current financial year 2021-22 already 26 trains have been converted to electric traction to run with electric engines so far and now 4 more are being added.
SWR is actively working to switch more trains to Electric engines in the coming months, with specific focus on sections where Electrification has already been completed.
This was made possible with the record Electrification done by SWR in the current Financial Year. From April 2021, 511.7 RKM of Electrification has been completed so far.