Tenders awarded for Rs. 20 crore project

Mysore/Mysuru: The much-awaited electrification of Mysuru-Chamarajanagar Railway line under the South Western Railway has got a boost with the Railways awarding tenders for the project. 

The project is a part of phasing out diesel and going fully electric within the next few years. The electrification works will begin soon and will be completed in the 12 months. 

The Mysuru-Chamarajanagar route is quite popular one with thousands of employees, students and daily wage workers taking the trains between the two destinations. The route also connects Nanjangud, regarded as Dakshina Kashi. 

The railway line connects industrial areas of Kadakola, Sujathapuram, Nanjangud and Badanaguppe. The electrification is crucial for industrial growth of Mysuru as it will complement the Inland Container Yard by Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) that is coming  up at Kadakola. 

The Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE) had called tender for design, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of electrification works of the 71-km route. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 20.2 crore and the tender has been awarded on Jan. 22 to Powerguru Infratech Private Limited, Gurgaon. A deadline of 12 months has been set for project completion. 

The electrification will benefit movement of cargo with better energy efficiency, zero emissions and lower operating costs. This apart, electric train is more powerful than its diesel counterpart for heavy cargo  movements. 

 After the electrification project is completed, the line will get integrated with the already commissioned Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai electric mainline. The Railways can introduce MEMU (Main Electric Multiple Unit) trains on the Mysuru-Chamarajanagar section. MEMUs are known for their punctuality and better performance.