A Feather in the glory of Indian railways

06 Jan 2023 CW Team

The 113 km long Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam-Krishnapatnam Port railway line includes the 6.6 km long tunnel. The tunnel, a feat of engineering, has cut the distance for trains travelling from Krishnapatnam to Guntakal Division by 72 km. Additionally, it lessens traffic volume in the section between Obulavaripalli and Renigunta and Gudur.

On June 25, 2019, the longest electrified tunnel in the country began full-scale operation. The tunnel was described as "a feather in the glory of Indian railways" by former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu.

An estimated $437 billion was spent on the tunnel's construction. 14 Cross Passages and 44 Trolley Refuges are present.

Features of Longest Electrified Train Tunnel –
(a) The tunnel is ‘Horse Shoe’ shaped.
(b) New Australian Tunneling Method(NATM) was followed during construction.
(c) The LED lighting provided at a distance of 10 metres inside the tunnel.
(d) The height of the tunnel is 6.5 metres (rail level to roof).
(e) The height of contact wire is maintained at 5.2 metres.
(f) The thickness of the full length lining is 300 mm.

This tunnel improves the South Central Railway's freight capacity while enabling direct and practical connectivity between the South Coast and West Coast.

The Railways are developing a plan to become the largest "Green Railways" in the world with zero carbon emissions by 2030. A total of 4,100 TKM were electrified during the Financial Year 2022–23.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated last week that 20,000 route kilometres of rail lines were electrified in the first 70 years of Independence while introducing the nation's seventh Vande Bharat Express.

The longest electrified tunnel in Indian Railways has changed the way that freight is transported throughout the nation significantly. In 2019, the tunnel connecting the Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations of South Central Railways was dedicated to the country. The 113 km long Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam-Krishnapatnam Port railway line includes the 6.6 km long tunnel. The tunnel, a feat of engineering, has cut the distance for trains travelling from Krishnapatnam to Guntakal Division by 72 km. Additionally, it lessens traffic volume in the section between Obulavaripalli and Renigunta and Gudur. On June 25, 2019, the longest electrified tunnel in the country began full-scale operation. The tunnel was described as a feather in the glory of Indian railways by former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu. An estimated $437 billion was spent on the tunnel's construction. 14 Cross Passages and 44 Trolley Refuges are present. Features of Longest Electrified Train Tunnel – (a) The tunnel is ‘Horse Shoe’ shaped. (b) New Australian Tunneling Method(NATM) was followed during construction. (c) The LED lighting provided at a distance of 10 metres inside the tunnel. (d) The height of the tunnel is 6.5 metres (rail level to roof). (e) The height of contact wire is maintained at 5.2 metres. (f) The thickness of the full length lining is 300 mm. This tunnel improves the South Central Railway's freight capacity while enabling direct and practical connectivity between the South Coast and West Coast. The Railways are developing a plan to become the largest Green Railways in the world with zero carbon emissions by 2030. A total of 4,100 TKM were electrified during the Financial Year 2022–23. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated last week that 20,000 route kilometres of rail lines were electrified in the first 70 years of Independence while introducing the nation's seventh Vande Bharat Express. See also: Railways releases energy-efficiency plan to reach 2030 net-zero goalIndia's first indigenous hydrogen train to be operational in 2023

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

Infrastructure Energy

12 Dec 2025

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

Infrastructure Energy

12 Dec 2025

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..