Odisha: Trains run with electric engines in Jharsuguda-Angul line

BHUBANESWAR: Trains have started running with electric traction from Saturday onwards in Jharsuguda-Sambalpur-Angul railway section after completion and commissioning of electrification works in this route.


On Saturday, five trains ran with electric engine. These were- Sambalpur-Howarh weekly superfast express , Bhubaneswar-Anand Vihar Terminal weekly superfast express, Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani express via Sambalpur, Bokaro Steel City-Bhubaneswar Garib Rath tri-weekly express and LTT-Bhubaneswar bi-weekly express.

Other trains like Rourkela-Bhubaneswar Intercity , Bikaner-Puri-Bikaner weekly express , LTT-Puri- LTT weekly express, Jodhpur-Puri-Jodhpur weekly express and Rourkela-Puri-Rourkela Passenger will also run with electric engine in this route according to their schedule.

Previously, the trains had to change their electrical engine and run with diesel engines to cross these un-electrified railway lines (Angul to Sambalpur). The electrification on these lines will save railway’s money and time of passengers, said Jaideep Gupta, divisional railway manager of Sambalpur division .

The 156-km Angul-Sambalpur line has been electrified recently at a cost of Rs 183 crore. The missing electrified track is primarily meant to carry bulk traffic of raw materials especially coal, aluminium and cement to houses in Tamil Nadu and other major industries in western part of the country.

Sources said electrification will save half of the cost spent on diesel. It will also save time of passengers as the trains will not change their engines and run in a good speed than earlier. It will not only conserve fuel but also help environment by not emitting polluted gas.

The section between Titilagarh and Jharsuguda, a major part of the 502-km Vizianagaram-Jharsuguda electrification project, also got electrified recently.