SWR plans phased switch to electric traction on Bengaluru–Mangaluru route

South Western Railway plans to introduce end-to-end electric traction on the Bengaluru–Mysuru–Hassan–Mangaluru sector with a single train. The first service and launch date have not yet been selected.

Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager Mudit Mittal told The Hindu that the overhead equipment had been found stable, including on the Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat section. The final phase of electrification was completed in December 2025.

All seven pairs of passenger trains on the sector currently use diesel traction for at least part of their journeys. SWR plans to test one train on electric traction throughout for about two weeks before progressively converting the others.

On the ghat section, diesel locomotives with automatic emergency braking will be replaced by electric locomotives with the same system. Downhill, a WAG9 multiple-unit configuration will lead the train while the main locomotive is idle. Uphill, the main electric locomotive will lead, with the WAG9 units providing assistance from the rear.

Three train pairs currently switch traction along their routes. The Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru–Murdeshwar Express runs electrically between Bengaluru and Mysuru, then on diesel to Murdeshwar. The KSR Bengaluru–Kozhikode Express uses diesel to Mangaluru Central and electricity from there to Kozhikode.

The Vijayapura–Mangaluru Central Express uses electric traction to Hubballi and diesel between Hubballi and Mangaluru. The source identifies these three pairs as 16585/586, 16511/512 and 17377/378 respectively.

The KSR Bengaluru–Karwar Panchaganga Express, identified as 16595/596, remains entirely diesel-hauled. So do two tri-weekly daytime train pairs and one weekly pair between Yeshwantpur and Mangaluru Junction or Karwar.

The Mangaluru Central–Subrahmanya Road passenger service has already used electric traction since September 2025. It operates three round trips each day.