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Answering a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the speeding up of trains on the Indian Railways is an ongoing exercise.
“Speeding-up of train services is a constant endeavour and continuous process on Indian Railways, which includes optimization of time-table, investment for modernization of assets, adoption of new/better technology, induction of high powered locomotives/modern coaches and upgradation of tracks. Accordingly, during 2020-21, a total of 488 passenger train services have been speeded up," the minister said.
The minister also said in response to another query,"At present Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is the only sanctioned project of High Speed Rail (HSR) in the country which is under execution with the financial and technical assistance from Government of Japan. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), namely National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has been formed to implement the Project.
Further, he informed that the up-gradation of track infrastructure is done through regular track renewal works, as and when the track becomes due for renewal based on criteria stipulated in Indian Railway Permanent Way Manual (IRPWM).
The up-gradation of track caters for raising the sectional speed of sections up to 130 kmph. The minister enlisted the steps which are being taken to improve the railway tracks.
"During 2020-21, 4363 km (in Complete Track Renewal units) track renewal had been carried out. For the current year i.e. 2021-22, 751 km (in Complete Track Renewal units) track renewal has been carried out up to June 2021," he informed.
Further, he added that the modern track structure consisting of Pre-Stressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC) Normal/Wide base sleepers with elastic fastening, 60kg, 90 or higher Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, fan-shaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers, Steel Channel Sleepers on girder bridges are being used while carrying out primary track renewals.
"Long rail panels of 260 M/130M length are being manufactured at the steel plant to minimize the number of Alumino Thermit joints in the track, and provision of Thick Web Switches (TWS) has been planned for all important routes of Indian Railways. To expedite the provision of TWS, procurement of Thick Web Switches has been decentralized to zonal railways," Vaishnaw said.
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