This story is from June 16, 2022

Karnataka: SWR may run more trains on its routes upto 110 kmph

With doubling and electrification work of railway lines progressing, South Western Railway (SWR) is planning to reduce travel time of more trains by upgrading speed limit on 10 sections (649 route Km) from 70-80 kmph to 110kmph by March 2023.
Karnataka: SWR may run more trains on its routes upto 110 kmph
BENGALURU: With doubling and electrification work of railway lines progressing, South Western Railway (SWR) is planning to reduce travel time of more trains by upgrading speed limit on 10 sections (649 route Km) from 70-80 kmph to 110kmph by March 2023.

10 routes chosen for upgrade

Six routes where the upgrade has been planned are in Karnataka — Chikkabanavara-Hassan (164.8 route km), Tumakuru- Sampige Road (40.8km), Chikkajajur-Rayadurga (131km), Hassan-Sakleshpur (42km), Gadag-Hole-Alur (48.1km) and Ginigera-Karatagi (64.9km).
The other four sections are in Goa. Trains from Yeshwantpur to Karwar, Mangaluru, Hassan, Tumakuru and Sira are among those to be benefited by speed upgradation

In the fast lane

Sections where speed limit of 110kmph is already permitted — Jolarpettai-Bengaluru City (285 track km), Byappanahalli-Dharmavaram (264km), Penukonda-Dharmavaram (52km), Bengaluru City-Arsikere (284.6 Km), Birur-Chikkajajur (136.5km) and Londa-Miraj (222km).
‘Aim is 120kmph in next phase’

“In 2021-22, we completed 181.5km of track renewal, closed 36 manned LC gates and also constructed 12 ROBs and 33 RUBs. Speed was increased on a 376km route during 2021-22 mainly through flattening of curves by eliminating PSR (permanent speed restrictions). This reduced travel time of several trains,” said SWR general manager Sanjeev Kishore. He said they are working on enhancing mobility of trains and planning to achieve 120kmph in the next phase.


12 sections with 100kmph limit

Bengaluru-Mysuru (251 track km), Yeshwantpur-Yelahanka (19.3km), Byappanahalli-Yeshwantpur (19.6km), Yelahanka-Bangarpet (131km), Chikkabanavara-Hassan (164.8km), Byappanahalli-Omalur (92.5km), Arsikere-Birur (89.7km), Chikkajajur-Hubballi (240km), Chikkajajur-Rayadurga (130km), Mysuru- Chamarajanagar (35.5km), Hubballi- Ballari (424km) and Gadag-Hotgi (235km).
15 trains got faster this year

In 2021-2022, 33 trains in SWR got faster. In the current financial year (2022-2023), officials said, travel time of 15 trains has been reduced so far, which helped in saving 325 minutes (5.4 hours). The 15 trains are: 16596 Karwar-Bengaluru (45 minutes faster), 12629 Yeshwantpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin (35 minutes), 22685 Yeshwantpur- Chandigarh (35 minutes), 06920 Vijayapura-Hubballi (30 minutes), 16542 Pandharpur-Yeshwantpur (20 minutes), 12630 Hazrat Nizamuddin-Yeshwantpur(20 minutes), 22686 Chandigarh- Yeshwantpur (20 minutes), 16512 Kannur-Bengaluru (20 minutes), 07377 Vijayapura-Mangaluru Junction (20 minutes), 07367 Arsikere- Hubballi (20 minutes), 06509 Bengaluru-Danapur (20 minutes), 16590 Miraj-KSR Bengaluru (15 minutes), 16544 Hubballi-Yeshwantpur (10 minutes), 16595 Bengaluru-Karwar (10 minutes) and 16511 KSR Bengaluru City-Kannur (5 minutes).

Scope for improvement: activists


* Abhishek R, rail enthusiast


“Bengaluru-Mysuru train journey takes between two hours 30 minutes and three hours 30 minutes. It can be reduced to two hours 15 minutes to two hours 45 minutes. In many cases, trains from Mysuru arrive late because of terminal/platform constraints. The average speed on Bengaluru-Mysuru route is less than 50 kmph but there’s scope to increase it above 55kmph...Compared to northern parts of the country, the geography of Karnataka is different. Too many curves/gradients slow down train speed. When the railways is planning to increase speed of trains to 160kmph, in Karnataka it should be at least 120kmph-130kmph”
* Manju Nair, rail activist
“SWR should reduce travel time between Bengaluru-Hassan-Mangaluru. There is no improvement in speed even after sectional speed limit between Shravanabelagola and Hassan increased”
Not swift enough

*Gatimaan Express runs between Delhi and Agra Cantonment station at maximum speed of 160kmph
*Passenger trains run above 200 kmph in more than 20 countries
*A recent CAG report stated average speed of mail/express trains in the country during 2019-2020 was only 50.6kmph despite spending Rs 2.5 lakh crore on track infrastructure between 2008 and 2019
*Mission Raftaar project was envisaged in 2016-2017 to raise average speed of both passenger and freight trains, but there was no significant improvement
author
About the Author
Christin Mathew Philip

Christin Mathew Philip is a Principal Correspondent with The Times of India, Bengaluru. He writes on urban mobility and traffic issues. He is the winner of Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism award (2015) for his reporting on civic issues in Chennai. He worked in TOI Chennai (2011-2016) before moving to The New Indian Express, Bengaluru in 2016.

End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA