The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for taking up the work of raising of speed to 160 kmph on existing New Delhi-Howrah route, including Vadodara-Ahmedabad.
Financial Implications:
The financial implication for the project will be Rs.6806.44 crore and funded through Extra Budgetary Resources/Institution Financing. The project is expected to be completed in four years.
Benefits:
i This will reduce travel time of premium Rajdhani type trains to 10 hours as against the present travel time of 15 hours 30 minutes.
ii This will improve the average speeds of freight/passenger trains (Mission Raftaar) and throughput, execution of these projects will considerably enhance safety due to the provision of above inputs.
iii This will generate direct/indirect employment of 210 million man days during execution period.
iv The project will spur demand in ancillary industries and sectors such as heavy engineering, steel, cement, non-ferrous metallurgy, mining, logistics etc.
Action Plan
i Key inputs involve fencing, level crossing removal, upgradation of track structure, advanced/modern signaling systems, mobile Train Radio Communication (MTRC), power supply augmentation, automated and mechanized diagnostic systems etc. which will enhance safety and reliability alongwith speed.
ii Implementation will be undertaken under a fixed time fixed cost EPC contract which shall reduce delays & cost overrun while also ensuring better coordination and economies of scale.
Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai routes carry 29% of passenger traffic & 20% of freight traffic. These are being proposed as the first two projects as part of this policy to be implemented within 4 years from the date of approval. New Delhi-Mumbai route passes through seven states namely Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat & Maharashtra.
Modern and safe rolling stock such as LHB coaches and Vande Bharat train sets are fit for 160 kmph. However, only 0.3% (185 km) of route is fit for 160 kmph, only 5% of the route is fit for 120-130 KMPH and remaining route is fit for only 110 kmph and below. To align rolling stock and fixed infrastructure speeds, Indian Railway has decided to upgrade the maximum permissible speeds on six principal routes (Golden Quadrilateral and Diagonals) to 160 kmph.
