Indian Railways Makes Progress On Mission 160 Km Per Hour

Indian Railways’ plan to run trains at 160 kmph speed has progressed with a pair of canted turnout thick web switches commissioned at Sasni in Prayagraj Division.

“It is necessary to use canted jointless turnout for speed above 160 kmph to control vibrations and to have a smooth ride,” the Ministry of Railways said.

The Indian Railways is going ahead with an action plan to run trains at a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour (KMPH) on main trunk routes across the country to reduce travel time significantly.

In a new paradigm shift, seven high-density routes, including Delhi-Guwahati, Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai, will be decongested, enabling passenger-carrying trains to increase the speed to up to 160 km per hour in the next few years.

The other heavy routes are Howrah-Mumbai, Delhi-Chennai, Chennai-Mumbai and Chennai-Howrah, totalling 11,295 km on the Indian rail network.

The plan envisages shifting the freight service to the dedicated freight corridor (DFC) once it becomes fully operational by 2021, freeing up the path for the speedy run of trains.

To expand the capacity, work for electrification and doubling the routes are underway on the high-density path.

The project's scope includes fencing, an automatic train protection system (ETCS 2/TPWS), mobile train radio communication, and automated and mechanised diagnostic systems, which will considerably enhance safety and reliability.

The 160 kmph project is also crucial for running private trains as it would fulfil one of the critical requirements of all bidders to join the race.