Pattukottai - Karaikudi overhead electrification project completed, trial run by an electric loco conducted

A trial run onboard an electric locomotive conducted to and from Pattukottai to Karaikudi on Wednesday night. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement With overhead electrification (OHE) project completed on Pattukottai - Karaikudi broad gauge section, which falls under Tiruchi Railway Division, an electric locomotive trial run was conducted on the nearly 70-km stretch late on Wednesday.A technical team comprising engineers from Southern Railway Construction Organisation and Tiruchi Railway Division travelled on board the electrical locomotive during the trial run that was carried in both directions successfully. Railway sources said the trial run was conducted after obtaining sanction from Principal Chief Electrical Engineer, Southern Railway, and Electrical Inspector to the Government (EIG) for energisation of OHE in Pattukottai - Karaikudi section via Aranthangi following completion of electrification works.The electric locomotive deployed for the trial run left Pattukottai station around 10.28 p.m. on Wednesday and reached Karaikudi at 11.58 p.m. In the return direction, it left Karaikudi at 00.12 a.m on Thursday and reached Pattukottai at 1.40 a.m. The trial run was carried out successfully at a maximum speed reaching 75 km per hour, the sources said.The trial run was carried out ahead of the mandatory inspection of the electrified section by the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer and Electrical Inspector to the Government.The sources said the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer’s statutory inspection of OHE works completed between Pattukottai and Karaikudi had been planned for September 9. As part of the exercise, the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer would conduct a speed trial travelling onboard a special train that would be hauled by an electric locomotive from Pattukottai to Karaikudi. Only after obtaining clearance from the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer can passenger and freight trains be hauled by electric locomotives on the section. At present, the trains are operated with diesel locomotives.Southern Railway Construction Organisation was entrusted with the task of executing the overhead electrification project in the nearly 150-km Tiruvarur - Thiruthuraipoondi - Pattukottai - Aranthangi - Karaikudi BG section in phases. The OHE work was completed at first from Tiruvarur to Pattukottai, and the remaining portion from Pattukottai to Karaikudi was taken up thereafter.Two traction substations are to be established as part of the project - one at Thiruthuraipoondi and the other at Pattukottai. The Pattukottai - Karaikudi is the last BG stretch to be electrified in Tiruchi Railway Division. Published - September 03, 2026 04:19 pm IST