CHENNAI: About 20 days after launching the Vande Bharat Express, Southern Railway (SR) recently submitted a detailed project report to the Railway Board (RB) to increase the track speed limit to 160 kmph on the Chennai-Bengaluru (362 km) route.
A section of passengers has faced displeasure with the railways, saying that the fifth Vande Bharat Express that ran on the Chennai-Mysuru section was the slowest among the semi-fast trains operating in the rest of the country.
This train takes six and a half hours to cover 496.6 km, runs at an average speed of 76 km/h and its maximum permissible speed (MSP) is 110 km/h. The other four Vande Bharat trains run at an average speed of 79-95 kmph and have an MSP of 130 kmph. Vande Bharat trains are designed to reach speeds of up to 160 kmph.
The SR said it plans to complete infrastructure improvements to run the 130 kmph train on the Chennai-Jolarpettai section by March. “The speed increase includes a comprehensive upgrade of all infrastructure required to operate the trains, including complete replacement of 52kg tracks with 60kg tracks wherever required; strengthening bridges; removal of curves; barrier walls to prevent interference across the rails; improving signaling by providing automatic signalling/dual distance signal and improving overhead line infrastructure,” said B Guganesan, Public Relations Manager, SR. Apart from this, SR has also sent DPR for upgradation of tracks on Chennai-Gudur and Chennai-Renigunta sections to run trains at a speed of 160 kmph.
“The Chennai-Gudur section, which is 134.3 km long, was cleared to run trains at a speed of 130 kmph for the first time on October 5. Work to increase the speed from 110 to 130 kmph has been completed on the Chennai-Renigunta (134.78 km) stretch,” Guganesan said, adding that the speed will be increased in the current financial year itself.