Tiruchi will soon have its first facility for maintenance of MEMU rakes.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
A ₹60-crore facility being created by the Southern Railway in Tiruchi exclusively for the maintenance of Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) rakes is expected to be ready by March.
Coming up on a vast expanse of 60,000 sq. m. railway land near the Manjathidal railway station along the Tiruchi-Thanjavur broad gauge section, the covered facility under construction will have overhead electric arrangements inside required for the maintenance of MEMU rakes.
The Southern Railway Construction Organisation has been tasked with the project. The shed will have two inspection pit lines, a catwalk pathway for inspection of the rakes, washing line arrangement, overhead electric arrangement, and an administrative block, said a railway official.
This is the first time an exclusive facility for the maintenance of MEMU rakes is being established in Tiruchi. Nearly 80% of the work pertaining to construction of the two inspection pit lines and the administrative building has been completed. The length of each pitline is about 390 metres to accommodate eight MEMU cars in each one of them.
The washing line arrangement has been completed inside the facility and the track linking work was under progress. The broad gauge track inside the upcoming MEMU shed is being linked with the existing railway line nearby for the MEMU rakes to enter the facility for maintenance. The entire project is expected to be completed by March 2026, the official added.
MEMU trains are operated in short and medium distance electrified routes in the Southern Railway network. These trains in Tiruchi Railway Division’s limits are operated on the Villupuram-Puducherry; Mayiladuthurai-Salem; Villupuram-Tiruchi; Villupuram-Katpadi; Puducherry-Villupuram; Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai; Mayiladuthurai-Tiruvarur; Puducherry-Chennai Egmore and Salem-Mayiladuthurai electrified BG sections. The rakes of the MEMU trains would be sent at specified time duration for maintenance at the new facility once it becomes operational, the official said.
Published – December 05, 2025 08:26 pm IST
