Trial on newly-electrified rail route in Maharashtra to begin on Dec 30

Train trials on the newly electrified Ankai to Aurangabad railway route in Maharashtra will start on Friday, an official said here.

The first train will run with electric traction by next month after the trials are complete, the South Central Railway official said.

The journey time between Mumbai and Aurangabad will reduce by 25-30 minutes as the need to replace the diesel engine with an electric one will be done away with, he said.

"The route that has been electrified between Ankai in Nashik and Aurangabad is 100 kilometres long. This is part of the longer Ankai-Mukhed (Nanded) electrification project. The trial of a train with an electric engine (locomotive) will begin on December 30," he said.

"After successful completion of trials on various parameters, we expect the first train pulled by a locomotive to use the stretch for regular service by next month," the official informed.