What are the voltages used for electric traction in India?

June 22, 2019, 1:08 PM
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The 1.5kV DC overhead system (negative earth, positive catenary) is used around Bombay (This includes Mumbai CST – Kalyan, Kalyan – Pune, Kalyan – Igatpuri, Mumbai CST – Belapur – Panvel, and Churchgate – Virar). There are plans [2/04] to change this to 25kV AC by 2010. In preparation for this, BHEL has been retrofitting some Alstom EMUs with AC drives to allow them to operate with both DC and AC traction as the system conversion proceeds (see the section on EMUs). Conversion to 25kV AC has already been done on the Titwala-Kasara section; next to be converted are Khapoli-Vangani, Vangani-Thane, and Titwala-Thane. The Madras suburban routes (Madras-Tambaram in the ’60s, extended later to Villupuram) used to be 1.5kV DC until about 1967, when it was converted to 25kV AC (all overhead catenary supply). (This is where the MG DC locos were used, e.g., the YCG-1 series.)

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The 25kV AC system with overhead supply from a catenary is used throughout the rest of the country. The WCAM series of locomotives are designed to operate with both DC and AC traction as they move towards or away from the Bombay DC section. The new [2003] AC-DC EMU rakes used in Mumbai are also designed to operate with both DC and AC traction as the Bombay area switches over to the 25kV AC system. Read more about Mumbai area electrification.

The Calcutta Metro uses 750V DC traction with a third-rail mechanism for delivering the electricity to the EMUs.

The Calcutta trams use 550V DC with an overhead catenary system with underground return conductors. The catenary is at a negative potential.

The Delhi Metro uses 25kV AC overhead traction with a catenary system on the ground-level and elevated routes, and uses a rather unusual ‘rigid catenary’ or overhead power rail in the underground tunnel sections (Line 2).

Source – IFRCA.org

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