Mysore/Mysuru: South Western Railway (SWR) is running Train No. 11312/11311  Hassan-Solapur-Hassan Daily Express with electric locomotive between Solapur-Yesvantpur- Solapur with effect from Jan. 28 for train journey commencing from Hassan and with effect from 29th for train journey commencing from Solapur. Earlier, this train was running with Diesel Locomotive from end to end, between Hassan and Solapur. 

Similarly, Train No. 17307/ 17308 Mysuru-Bagalkot-Mysuru Basava Express is running with Electric Locomotive between Mysuru-Solapur-Mysuru with effect from Jna.28 for train journey commencing from Mysuru and with effect from 29th for train journey commencing from Bagalkot.  Earlier this train was running with electric locomotive between Mysuru and Yesvantpur. 

In SWR 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, said that in the current financial year 2021-22 already 22 trains have been converted to electric traction to run with electric engines and now 4 have been implemented from Jan.28.

Basava Express will now run 76% of the route between Mysuru-KSR Bengaluru-Dharmavaram-Guntakal-Raichur-Wadi-Kalaburagi-Solapur with Electric Engine. Similarly, Hassan-Solapur-Hassan Express will run 78% of the route with electric engine, 652 kilometres (between Yesvantpur-Dharmavaram-Guntakal-Raichur-Wadi -Kalaburagi-Solapur)  out of  826 km.

Running of these 4 trains  with electrical engines for major part of the  route  is expected to save more than 10,000 litres of diesel every day. SWR is actively working to switch minimum 10 more trains to  Electric engines   in next two months, with specific focus on sections where Electrification has already been completed. In the current Financial Year from April 2021, 232 RKM of Electrification has been completed  so far in South Western Railway and is aiming to complete electrification of another 200-plus RKM in next two months.  From 200-plus RKM in 2016, the electrified track on SWR has now risen to 1,452 RKM which is 40% of the total route km of SWR, according to a press release from E. Vijaya, Chief Public Relations Officer, South Western Railway, Hubballi.