CHENNAI: About 20 days after introducing Vande Bharat Express, Southern Railway (SR) recently submitted a detailed project report to Railway Board (RB) for enhancing the speed limit for tracks to 160 km/h on Chennai-Bengaluru (362 km) route.
The railway has been facing flak from a section of passengers who say that the fifth Vande Bharat Express, being operated on the Chennai-Mysuru section, was the slowest among the semi-high speed trains operated in the rest of the country.
This train takes six and a half hours to cover 496.6 km, running at an average speed of 76 km/h while it's maximum permitted speed (MSP) is 110 km/h. Four other Vande Bharat trains, however, run an average speed of 79-95 km/h and have an MSP of 130 km/h. Vande Bharat trains are designed to reach speeds up to 160 km/h.
SR said it was planning to complete infrastructure improvements to operate the train at 130 km/h on the Chennai-Jolarpettai section by March. “Speed enhancement entails a comprehensive upgrade to all infrastructure required for train operations, including complete replacement of 52-kg tracks with 60-kg one, wherever required; strengthening bridges; removal of curves; barricading walls to prevent trespassing of tracks; improving signalling by providing automatic signalling/double-distancing signal and improving overhead line infrastructure,” said B Guganesan, chief public relations officer, SR. Besides, SR also sent DPRs to upgrade tracks on Chennai-Gudur and Chennai-Renigunta sections for running the trains at 160 km/h.
“The 134.3-km Chennai- Gudur section was first authorised fit for running trains at 130 km/h on October 5. Works for increasing speed from 110 to 130 km/h have been completed on the Chennai-Renigunta section (134.78 km),” Guganesan said adding that speed would be increased in the current financial year itself.