Current Affairs - National - Discussion

Southern Railway achieved 100% electrification of its 5,068-km broad gauge network, marking a significant milestone in Indian Railways’ electrification programme. The final stretch was the 71-km Pattukkottai-Karaikkudi section in Tamil Nadu, where electrification was completed and inspected in September 2026. The entire broad gauge network of the zone now operates using 25 kV AC electric traction, eliminating the need to switch between diesel and electric locomotives. Full electrification is expected to improve operational efficiency, reduce delays, enable faster train movement, increase locomotive utilisation, and lower carbon emissions. The milestone also represents nearly 95 years of railway electrification history, which began in 1931.