Rlys’ ₹18K-cr project for high speed trains

NEW DELHI: The railways will implement a ~18,000-crore project to operate trains at a speed of 160 kmph on the busy Delhi-mumbai and Delhi-kolkata routes by upgrading infrastructure, railway board chairman V K Yadav said on Tuesday.

Once the project begins, it will take at least four years to complete, he said after inaugurating the International Rail Conference-2019 and the 13th International Railway Equipment Exhibition. The events have been organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with the Railways at Aerocity here.

The railways’ target is to operate high speed trains in two categories -- at 160 kmph on the DelhiMumbai and Delhi-kolkata routes, and up to 320 kmph under the ongoing bullet train project between Mumbai-ahmedabad. Currently, the average maximum speed of trains on various r outes i s 9 9 kmph and t he recently introduced Delhi-varanasi Vande Bharat Express touches an average speed of 104 kmph on the Delhi-kanpur section. The upgrade of infrastructure to operate trains at 160 kmph includes fencing, upgrade of track and signalling, and elimination of unmanned level-crossings, according to the Railway Ministry.

The railways is in a “transformation mode” and “is in the process of modernisation”, Yadav said, adding that as part of this, the 68,000-km broad-gauge track network will be electrified in the next three years. He said at present, 28,000 km is electrified and for next year a target of 7,000 km has been set. The railways will also implement a ‘multitracking’ project in the 34,000 km ‘highly busy and utilised’ rail network in a phased manner. Additional tracks will be laid in these routes as nearly 96 per cent of the country’s trains ply there, the railway board chairman said.

On bio-toilets, Yadav said 95 per cent of rail coaches have environment-friendly washrooms and the rest will have it in the next two to three months.

Board Member (Rolling Stock) Rajesh Agarwal said 100 units of Vande Bharat Express (semi high speed inter-city electric multiple unit) will be manufactured in the next five years.

The CII’S rail transportation and equipment division chairman Anand Chidambaram said this was Asia’s largest exhibition.