NewzVille Desk
Indian Railways has achieved a major engineering milestone by completing the electrification of the Sakleshpur-Subramanya Road Ghat Section. This section is among the most difficult and technically challenging terrains on the Indian Railways network.
The milestone was marked by a successful electric locomotive trial on 28 December 2025. With this, the section is now fully ready for electric train operations.
With the electrification of this ghat stretch, the entire Bengaluru-Mangaluru rail route is now fully electrified. This will improve rail connectivity, operational efficiency and sustainability in the region.
The project will also enable the operation of Vande Bharat and other fast electric trains, offering faster, cleaner and more reliable travel to the coastal region.
Sakleshpur and Subramanya Road issituated in the terrain, which is extremely complex having no approach road to the railway track. It includes a steep ruling gradient of 1 in 50, 57 tunnels, 226 bridges, and 108 sharp curves. The area is also highly prone to landslides, especially during the monsoon. Electrifying this stretch was therefore a significant engineering challenge.
The electrification work began in December 2023. The project included the construction of five switching stations and full overhead electrification. To ensure safety and reliability, the maximum distance between traction poles was kept at 67.5 metres.
