The Railways will eliminate manned level crossings along the planned semi-high-speed Mumbai-Delhi corridor, which aims to reduce travel time between the two cities to 12 hours.
At present, the Rajdhani Express is the fastest train and takes around 16 hours to complete the journey.
The Railways have two main reasons for eliminating manned level crossings (LCs): one, to reduce deaths due to trespassing and the other, to save time.
Manned level crossings, an official said, are an “operating constraint” for running high-speed trains, “as the opening and closing of LC gates end up taking a lot of time.”
The Western Railway (WR) will need to eliminate 188 manned level crossings for this corridor. It will also need to build a boundary wall on both sides of the corridor at various locations, across a cumulative length of 274 km.
Other infrastructure upgrades include the laying of heavier tracks on higher-density sleepers that can withstand speeds of 160 km per hour. Railway officials said the project also includes the construction of a road along the tracks so the staff do not need to walk along the tracks.
Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relations cfficer, WR, said the project will improve the overall efficiency and punctuality of services. “With the elimination of manned level crossings and the construction of boundary walls, we will be able to curb the number of deaths due to trespassing and ensure a safer passage for all,” Mr. Bhakar said. Eliminating manned level crossings was an extensive project as it required building several rail overbridges and underpasses. “Works related to upgrading tracks and electrical and signalling infrastructure have been started and will be completed in two to three years. These enhancements will also go a long way to improve our service along the corridor,” he said.
The project’s estimated completion cost is pegged at ₹10,070 crore and will be jointly executed by the WR, West Central Railway, North Central Railway, and the Northern Railway. It is expected to be completed by 2023. The WR had received a provision of ₹500 crore in the Union Budget presented earlier this month.
