Lok Sabha Question No. 816 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-07
Subject: Increasing the Speed of Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 816 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2018

## INCREASING THE SPEED OF TRAINS

†816. SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  various  zones  of  the  Railways  particularly  the  northern railway has taken several decisions in regard to increasing the speed of trains, increasing the frequency of special trains, adhering to time table and protecting the trains from fog, etc.;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  several  projects  have  been  approved  to  protect  the  trains from fog and increasing the speed of the trains;
- (d) if so, whether details in regard to approved projects and the amount of funds allocated and incurred for the said purpose have been collected; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.816  BY SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK  SABHA  ON  07.02.2018  REGARDING  INCREASING  THE  SPEED  OF TRAINS

(a) & (b)  Speeding up of trains including on Northern Railway is a constant endeavour and continuous process on Indian Railways and is dependent on constant optimization of the investment made by Railways in modernization of technology, high power locos, modern coaches and better tracks. Frequency of special trains are increased  keeping in view the pattern of traffic, operational feasibility and availability of resources. Indian Railways makes all possible efforts to ensure that trains run to time.  In  this  regard,  various  measures  such  as  launching  of  punctuality drives, sensitising staff involved  in  train  operations,  improving  asset reliability,  rectification  of  asset  failures  in  the  shortest  possible  time  and having better co-ordination with State Governments and civil authorities to deal  with  law  &  order  problems  effectively  etc  are  taken  by  Indian Railways. To avoid delay of trains in foggy weather and to enhance level of safety when running in automatic block signaling sections, a modified automatic signaling system has been introduced which restricts the number of trains to two between two stations. Further, Railways have started implementing the  provision  of  automatic  train  protection  (ATP)  system  i.e.TPWS  in selected sections.

TPWS (Train Protection & Warning System) has the facility of controlling  the  speed based on to status of signals ahead. This helps the loco pilot to confidently run the train even though the actual visibility of the signal  may  be  poor  due  to  fog.  For  assisting  the  train  crew,  especially  in foggy weather, retro-reflective Sigma (Σ) boards are being provided on OHE mast  two  masts  prior  to  the  signals  in  electrified  territories  to  warn  the crew about signal ahead. Further, to ensure running of trains on time when pairing  trains  are  running  late,  scratch  rakes  are  inducted  to  the  extent operationally feasible.

- (c)  to  (e)      Provision  of  Automatic  Train  Protection  System  (ATP)  is mandatory for semi high speed trains. Gatiman Express is running at 160 Kmph  between  Nizamuddin  -  Agra  section,  which  is  fitted  with  Train Protection  warning  System  equivalent  to  European  Train  Control  System (ETCS) level -1. The work sanctioned for ATP on Northern Railway are as under:

Outlay at

|   S.No. | Name of section                                                                                                             | Allocation   | Latest Anticipated   | Outlay at end of 2017-18   |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------------------|----------------------------|
|       1 | Delhi-Ambala-Amritsar:- Train Protection & warning System (TPWS) (424 RKMs)                                                 | RRSK*        | 184.32Cr.            | 40 Cr.                     |
|       2 | Delhi area upto Ghaziabad & Nizammudin:-Train Protection & warning System (TPWS) on Automatic Signalling routes (118 RKMs). | RRSK         | 174.09Cr.            | 35Cr.                      |

Apart from the above, a work for providing ATP system, based on ETCS Level- 2 has been proposed as a part of the project for 'Modernization of Signaling' on entire Indian Railways.

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