After D/C substations failed to supply traction power for train operations,Commissioner for Railway Safety Chetan Bakhshi declared the newly laid 5th and 6th line between Kurla and Thane unfit for opening,on Tuesday. Existing D/C substations are not able to supply additional power required for these lines,said officials. If the line is converted into A/C,then these stations can supply the required traction power, a CR official said. Viddhyadhar Malegaonkar,Chief Public Relations Officer,CR,said,CRS has suggested some modifications and we are doing them. During inspection by Bakhshi on February 15,the lines were checked by running trolley on the tracks followed by speed run done by local trains. While speed run was being done,overhead equipment wire tripped thrice in a span of 15 minutes. There is no option other than to increase the capacity of the existing D/C substations, said a source. However,the Central Railway has decided to augment nine more D/C substations by increasing the capacity of additional units and also retaining the general services. These general services include lighting arrangements at stations,AC offices,washing pits etc. This decision was taken keeping in view the increased power load in general services after conversion of nine car rakes into 12 car rakes on suburban section. At present there are 39 substations at main and harbour line of Central Railway. The nine substations to be augmented will fall between Parel and Mumbra station,where power load is likely to increase in the future.
