Southern Railway will operate six express trains hauled by electric locomotives on the Pattukottai-Karaikudi electrified broad gauge section following the authorisation issued by the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer, Southern Railway, last month.
An official communication was sent to the Tiruchi and Madurai Railway Divisions from the Southern Railway headquarters office on Thursday. The nearly 75-km section that passes through Aranthangi, falling under the limits of the Tiruchi Railway Division, was the last major stretch to be electrified in the Southern Railway zone.
The Principal Chief Electrical Engineer, who is also the Electrical Inspector to the Government of India, had inspected the electrified stretch on September 9 and conducted a speed trial run. Consequent to the statutory clearance from the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer, the Southern Railway has decided to operate the Tambaram-Rameswaram Express (16103) hauled by an electric locomotive via Tiruvarur, Pattukottai, and Karaikudi from October 7. Similarly, the Rameswaram-Tambaram Express (16104) will run on AC traction from October 8 on its entire run, according to the communication.
The Tambaram-Sengottai Express (20683) and the Sengottai-Tambaram Express (20684) will run on AC traction on this stretch from October 8 and October 9 respectively. The bi-weekly Ernakulam-Velankanni Express (16361) and the Velankanni-Ernakulam Express (16362) will be operated with electric locos from October 10 and October 11 respectively. The Mayiladuthurai-Tiruvarur and the Tiruvarur-Karaikudi passenger trains will run on AC traction from October 8.
The change in traction will replace the diesel locomotives which now haul the express and passenger trains. There would be no loco change enroute as the nearly 150-km Tiruvarur-Pattukottai-Karaikudi stretch has been electrified.
Published – October 02, 2026 06:53 pm IST
