ECoR advances electrification upgrade to power high-speed and heavy freight operations

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has launched a major electrification upgrade aimed at strengthening its network’s capacity for high-speed and heavy freight train operations. The initiative introduces the advanced 2×25 kV Overhead Electrification (OHE) system across key sections, replacing the existing 1×25 kV setup to deliver superior voltage stability and energy efficiency.

According to officials, the upgrade will significantly improve voltage regulation, ensure smoother movement of semi-high-speed passenger services like the Vande Bharat Express, and enhance the hauling capacity for heavily loaded freight trains. The move aligns with the Railway Board’s vision to achieve 3,000 million tonnes of annual freight loading while supporting India’s transition to faster and greener rail transport.

Under the new system, power will be transmitted at 50 kV and stepped down to 25 kV for train operations. Traction substations equipped with 50 kV transformers and intermediate autotransformers will ensure efficient energy distribution and balanced voltage—boosting traction power and enabling seamless long-distance operations.

Work on upgrading from 1×25 kV to 2×25 kV OHE is already underway across several key corridors, including Bhadrak–Khurda Road, Palasa–Vizianagaram, Cuttack–Paradeep, Cuttack–Talcher–Angul, and Vizianagaram–Rayagada, with phased completion targeted by 2027–28.

As part of the next phase, ECoR will undertake the upgradation of the Khurda Road–Palasa double line section—a 222-km stretch on the Golden Quadrilateral’s Kolkata–Chennai corridor—at an estimated cost of ₹468.38 crore. The route serves as a critical link for both high-speed passenger and heavy freight trains and connects key industrial hubs such as Gopalpur Port and Indian Rare Earths Limited.

Once completed, the 2×25 kV traction system is expected to deliver major operational and environmental benefits—reducing energy losses, improving train speeds, increasing freight throughput, and supporting Indian Railways’ goal of cleaner, more energy-efficient operations.