Fifteen pairs of trains running with LHB design rakes could soon be run at a maximum permissible speed (MPS) of 130 kmph between Mumbai and Nagda Jn on the Mumbai – New Delhi Rajdhani route via Western Railway.
Of this, IR proposes to run 5 Duronto trains, 8 Humsafar trains and 2 Rajdhani trains at 130 kmph on this section. At present, these trains run at between 110 and 120 kmph on up to Ratlam.
Permission for increasing speeds has been received from the concerned authority (Commissioner for Railway Safety) according to sources.
In its 100 Day Plan, the Railway Board has also decided to further increase speeds of the section to 160 kmph over the next three to four years. Approvals to begin work on the 160 kmph upgrade are expected to be in place within 100 days.
It is not yet clear if any savings in time as a result of an increase in MPS will result in a change in schedules of these trains. The timeline for implementation is also not yet available.
However, the process shouldn’t take long. The track, rolling stock and in most cases, locomotives, are fit for the increase in speed. Four pairs of trains already run at 130 kph on the route.
Trains that are expected to see an increase in MPS are:
Durontos
Mumbai – Jaipur Duronto
Mumbai – Indore Duronto
Mumbai – New Delhi Duronto
Nizamuddin – Duronto
Pune Ahmedabad Duronto.
Humsafars
Bandra-Patna
Indore-Lingampalli
Ahmedabad- Chennai
Gandhidham -Tirunelveli
Bandra- Bhagat-ki-Kothi
Bandra-Jamnagar
Sriganganagar- Tiruchchirapalli
Udaipur-Mysuru
Rajdhanis
Madgaon Rajdhani
Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani.
