Railways working on multi-pronged strategy to facilitate high speed travel

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi:  Indian Railways is working on a multi pronged strategy for running of high speed trains (with a speed of 300 kmph+), semi high speed trains (with a speed of 160 kmph+ – 200kmph), running of existing trains with increased speeds and introduction of faster trains and faster train sets.

A high speed train (300 kmph+) has already been sanctioned on Mumbai – Ahmedabad high speed corridor with financial and technical assistance from Government of Japan. This train is based on Japanese Shinkansen high speed technology. A company for the implementation of this project with the name “National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited” has already been formed. The implementation of this project has already begun and is now targeted for commissioning in 2023-24. Government of Japan is providing financial assistance in the form of loan up to 81% of the project cost at a very nominal interest rate of 0.1% per annum to be repaid in 50 years with a 15 year moratorium. Five more corridors covering sides of diamond quadrilaterals and semi diagonals in the country are being explored, said railways ministry sources.

Railways has also taken up a programme of running of semi high speed trains (160 kmph+ – 200kmph) in a big way. It has already started running such a train with the name Gatimaan Express between Hazrat Nizammuddin to Agra Cantt Station from April 5, 2016 with a maximum speed of 160 kmph. Indian Railways have also identified eight more corridors for feasibility of semi high speed rail.

With a view to increasing speed of existing trains in Indian Railways, ‘Mission Raftaar’ was announced in the Railway Budget 2016-17.  The mission envisages a target of doubling of average speed of freight trains and increasing the average speed of all non-suburban passenger trains by 25 km per hour (kmph) in next 5 years.  The present level of average speeds in Indian Railways for non-suburban passenger trains is 46.3 kmph and for freight trains the average speeds is 24.2 kmph. In order to implement this, a cross-functional mission directorate has been created in Railway Board.