High Speed Train in India – Delhi-Mumbai (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) and Delhi-Howrah (including Kanpur-Lucknow)

High Speed Train in India – Delhi-Mumbai (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) and Delhi-Howrah (including Kanpur-Lucknow)

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA

QUESTION NO  63

ANSWERED ON  21.07.2017

Approval for the project to increase the speed of trains

63 Shri Sanjay Seth Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to satate :-

a) whether NITI Aayog has given its approval for ? 18,000 crore project to increase the speed of trains, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the project will cover Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah rail corridors, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Government has taken any steps to make the trains run at an increased speed of 160 kilometres per hour, if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the time by which these high speed trains will start functioning?

ANSWER   MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 63 BY SHRI SANJAY SETH ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 21.07.2017 REGARDING APPROVAL FOR THE PROJECT TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF TRAINS.

(a): Yes, Sir. NITI Aayog has supported two projects at estimated cost of Rs. 18,163 crore for raising of speed to 160/200 kilometre per hour on existing corridors of Delhi-Mumbai (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) and Delhi-Howrah (including Kanpur-Lucknow) in June 2017.

(b): Yes, Sir. The projects cover Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi- Howarh routes. The details are as under:-

• New Delhi-Mumbai Route (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad), 1483 Route km has an estimated cost of RS. 11,189 crore. This route passes through seven states viz. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. 

• New Delhi-Howrah route (including Kanpur-Lucknow), 1525 Route kms has an estimated cost of Rs. 6974 crore. This route passes through five states viz. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

• These projects have been structured on a new approach viz. Route wise, Single composite work, single agency execution and complete funding through Extra Budgetary Resources – Institutional Finance (EBR-IF). These projects mark the beginning of a new era of network development through a directed investment strategy on Golden Quadrilateral and Diagonal routes of Indian Railways.

• The main outcome of the implementation of these projects is increase in the maximum speed of the trains on these routes to 160kmph. This will reduce the travel time of premium Rajdhani type trains to 12 hours as against the present travel time of 15 hrs 30 minutes and 17 hours respectively for Mumbai and Howrah Rajdhani. Besides this, the average speed of all trains will improve by 25-30%.

• The modular package of inputs viz. through fencing, removal of level crossings, train protection warning system (TPWS), mobile train radio communication (MTRC), automated and mechanized diagnostic systems etc. will considerably enhance safety and reliability.

(c): Yes, Sir. The following steps have been initiated to make the trains run at 160 kmph:-

• Gatiman express at 160 Kmph (Kilometres per hour) has been introduced on 05.04.2016 from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Agra Cantt.

• Two projects for raising of speed to 160/200 kmph on existing corridors of New Delhi-Mumbai (including Vadodara-Ahmedabad) and New Delhi-Howrah (including Kanpur-Lucknow) have been processed for sanction.

(d): Projects have been approved by Niti Aayog. Time frame for operation of the high speed trains will be finalized after all approvals are available.