As the electrification of the Konkan Railway is rapidly progressing, we now hope to reap the full benefit of the electrified Shoranur–Mangaluru section. The division dispatched the first passenger-carrying train to Konkan with electric traction last week. More trains with electric traction can be handed over to Konkan Railway in the coming months, said Palakkad Division Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Trilok Kothari.
He was speaking during the Republic Day celebrations at Palakkad and said the pitline work at Mangaluru Central Railway Station will be completed by next month. Further, the construction of an additional platform at Mangaluru Central will be taken up thereafter. Palakkad Division will be completely electrified by December 2022. In the division’s jurisdiction, 58 km of electrification between Pollachi and Palakkad town is in progress. The electrification of the Shoranur Junction-Nilambur section commenced recently is scheduled to be completed by December.
He said the total revenue earnings of the division crossed Rs 600 crore (from April to December 2021) as against a target of Rs 515.61 crore, exceeding the target by more than 17%. Originating passenger revenue of Rs 289 crore and originating freight revenue of Rs 279.26 crore have been earned in the first three quarters of the current year.
Originating freight loading of 2.29 MT has been achieved in the current year which is higher by 50% over the originating freight loading of 1.86 MT during the corresponding period of the year 2020-2021. The division has completed six Foot Over Bridges (FoBs) in Mangaluru Junction, Kasaragod, Thalassery, Vadakara, Vaniyambalam and Palakkad Junction in the last one year. Additional Foot Over Bridges (FoBs) work is in progress at Shoranur Junction and the work will start at Tirur, he added.