Mysore/Mysuru: After years of deadlock, the South Western Railway has finally overcome a long-pending technical hurdle in electrifying the Mysuru-Chamarajanagar railway line. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued the long-awaited No Objection Certificate (NOC), paving the way for full electrification of the route.

A critical 1.4-km stretch near Mysore Airport had remained unelectrified due to its close proximity to the Airport runway, which raised safety and navigational concerns.

The AAI had withheld clearance for overhead electric infrastructure, citing potential interference with aviation systems, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had also not cleared the project.

As a result, electric trains could only operate up to Ashokapuram, with diesel locomotives used onward to  Chamarajanagar for the past three to four years.

A breakthrough came during a meeting held on June 1, 2025, between Railway Board officials and the Joint Secretary (Regulatory Affairs), Ministry of Civil Aviation. During the meeting, AAI presented its assessment, noting that of the 28 proposed overhead electricity mast poles in the affected zone, six exceeded permissible height limits.

Railway authorities agreed not to erect those six poles, while the remaining 22 fall within the allowed height of over 5.8 metres. With this compromise, the AAI granted the NOC.

Officials also discussed the Mysore Airport’s long-term expansion plans, which include possibly shifting the runway further from the railway line. If implemented, this could allow the remaining six poles to be erected in the future.

Following the NOC, railway authorities confirmed that electrification work will begin immediately and is expected to be completed within two months. Once finished, passenger trains on the Mysuru–Chamarajanagar route will operate with electric locomotives end-to-end.

Due to the prolonged wait for the NOC, the Railways had even explored alternatives, including rerouting the track to bypass the restricted zone and conducting a feasibility survey. However, during a recent visit to Mysuru, Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna had assured that the issue would be resolved soon — an assurance that has now materialised.