Indian Railways Strengthens HUN Route-9 With ₹163 Crore Electric Traction Upgrade

Indian Railways has sanctioned ₹163 crore for upgrading the electric traction system on the Parbhani-Mudkhed double-line section in the Nanded Division of South Central Railway, in a move aimed at strengthening rail infrastructure and increasing network capacity.

The project will involve upgrading the existing 1x25 kV electric traction system to a 2x25 kV system across 164 track kilometres. The work will also include associated power supply installations to meet the higher electrical load requirements of the route.

The Parbhani-Mudkhed section is part of the strategically important Highly Utilised Network (HUN) Route-9, which connects Ajmer, Indore, Khandwa, Akola, Purna, Mudkhed, Secunderabad, Mahbubnagar and Dhone.

According to the Ministry of Railways, the upgraded traction infrastructure will provide a stronger and more reliable power supply for train operations. This is expected to enable the section to handle higher freight volumes while also supporting the operation of Vande Bharat Express trains.

The investment is also linked to Indian Railways' broader efforts to expand freight-handling capacity as it works towards achieving 3,000 million tonnes of freight loading by 2029-30.

The project is part of the railways' ongoing push to modernise electrical infrastructure and improve operational efficiency on high-density and heavily utilised routes. By enhancing traction capacity on the Parbhani-Mudkhed corridor, the upgrade is expected to support both passenger and freight movement while improving the overall capacity of the railway network.

The sanction reflects the government's focus on upgrading critical railway corridors to meet rising transportation demand and improve the efficiency of train operations across the country.