Abhai Kumar Rai, Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bangalore conducted Statutory Inspection of the Railway Electrification Works between Salem Jn. – Vriddhachalam Jn. railway stations and conducted a High Speed Trial Run from Vriddhachalam Jn. to Salem Jn. today – 28.12.2021. R.K. Mehta, Principal Chief Electrical Engineer, Southern Railway, A. Gautam Srinivas, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division and Officials from Railway Electrification and Salem Division accompanied the Commissioner of Railway Safety during the inspection.
The Statutory Inspection commenced at Salem yesterday (27.12.2021) morning. Commissioner of Railway Safety and key officials proceeded towards Vriddhachalam railway station, inspecting the various Electrical, Engineering and Signalling Works and railway stations, bridges, level crossing gates, etc. in Salem Jn. – Vriddhachalam Jn. section.
Today (28.12.2021), a High Speed Trial Run, with a special train formation, was held from Vriddhachalam Jn. railway station to Salem Jn. railway station. The special train was hauled by an electric locomotive. An Observation Car with modern equipments, to observe and record various aspects of the electrification works, was part of the special train formation. A. Gautam Srinivas, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division said that with the electrification of Salem – Vriddhachalam section, all the sections in Salem Division have been electrified. After receiving authorization from the Commissioner of Railway Safety, train services would be operated using electric locomotives, he added. And, trains can run through Salem – Vriddhachalam section without having to change locomotives – from electric to diesel and vice versa. This would facilitate seamless traffic and also save time.