Action plan sought to speed up trains on key routes

In his letter dated March 21, 2018, to all zonal general managers (copy available with DT Next), chairman of Railway Board, Ashwani Lohani, admitted that there are several sections where the maximum permissible speed is less than 130 kmph at present. The chairman who made the admission following a review of maximum permissible speed of the section on the Golden Quadrilateral and its diagonals undertaken by the department, also conceded in his communique that the maximum permissible speed has not been raised despite introducing new high-speed trains on several sections. 

“Increasing speed for passenger carrying trains is important to reduce travel time and maintain the Railways’ competitiveness in passenger transportation,” Lohani said and asked the GMs to submit their action plan on gradually raising the maximum permissible speed on ‘A’ and ‘B’ routes to 130 kmph by April 13. 

The board has suggested that the, “Remaining sections of the golden quadrilateral and its diagonals be planned for raising speed to 130 kmph” in the first phase followed by the rest of the group B routes. The zones have been asked to identify sections where trains run at speeds higher than the maximum permissible speed and immediately raise the speed on the section.