Indian Railways Completes Electrification of Sakleshpur–Subramanya Ghat Section, Conducts Successful Electric Loco Trial

Indian Railways has successfully completed electrification works on the 55-km Sakleshpur–Subramanya Road ghat section, one of the most technically challenging stretches on the national rail network. The South Western Railway’s Mysuru Division conducted a successful electric locomotive trial on the section, marking a major operational milestone.

The route features a steep 1-in-50 gradient, 57 tunnels, 258 bridges, 108 sharp curves and is highly prone to landslides, making execution of the electrification works extremely complex. According to South Western Railway, the project commenced in December 2023 and was completed at a cost of Rs 93.55 crore.

The scope included construction of five switching stations and full overhead electrification of the ghat section. The overhead equipment has been designed for speeds of up to 120 kmph, with the maximum span between traction poles limited to 67.5 metres to ensure safety and operational reliability on the difficult terrain.