Lok Sabha Question No. 42 (STARRED), answered on 2016-04-27
Subject: Semi-High Speed Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH, R. GOPALAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 42 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.04.2016

## SEMI-HIGH SPEED TRAINS

†*42. SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH: SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the average speed of Express and Premium trains like Shatabdi in India and those in China, France and other developed/ developing countries;
- (b)  whether  the  Railways  proposes  to  step  up  speed  of  trains  in general and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  a  new  semi-high  speed  train,  Gatimaan  Express,  has recently been introduced between New Delhi and Agra and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  whether  there  is  any  proposal  to  introduce  such  fast  trains  in other important and tourist potential routes also; if so, the details of the routes identified; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 42 BY SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH AND SHRI  R.  GOPALAKRISHNAN  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 27.04.2016 REGARDING SEMI-HIGH SPEED TRAINS

(a):  Speed  of  trains  is  a  function  of  variable  such  as  maximum sectional speeds, maximum permissible speed of the Rolling Stock, stoppages, speed restrictions, gradients, congestion, line capacity, signaling  and  interlocking  standard,  loco  power  etc.  The  average speed of Express trains including halts running over Indian Railways is 50.8 Kilometre per Hour (KMPH) on Broad Gauge and 28.7 KMPH on  Metre  Gauge  during  the  year  2014-15.  The  average  speed  of Shatabdi Express trains including halts running over Indian Railways is about 69 KMPH. In developed countries passenger train speeds vary from 140 KMPH to 350 KMPH.

(b):  Speeding up of trains is a constant endeavour and continuous process on Indian Railways and is dependent on constant optimization of the investments made by Railways in modernization of technology, high powered locos, modern coaches (LHB, air brake, CBC) and better tracks.

(c):  A  new  train  viz.  12049/12050  Hazrat  Nizamuddin-Agra  Cantt. Gatiman  Express  (6  days  a  week)  which  will  run  at  a  maximum speed  of  160  KMPH  has  been  introduced  from  05.04.2016.  The maximum permissible speed of 160 KMPH of the train is a sectional speed between Palwal-Agra Cantt. section.

(d)  &  (e):  Indian  Railways  had  identified  eight  other  corridors  for raising the speed of passenger trains to 160/200 KMPH.  The details of  these  corridors  are  (i)  Delhi-Chandigarh  (ii)  Delhi-Kanpur  (iii) Nagpur-Bilaspur (iv) Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysore (v) Mumbai- Goa (vi) Mumbai-Ahmedabad (vii) Chennai-Hyderabad & (viii) NagpurSecunderabad.

The steps taken by the Government in this regard are as under:-

-  Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysore: The feasibility study of this corridor for raising the speed of passenger trains to 160 KMPH is being done by ERYUAN Group of Chinese Railways at their cost.
-  Delhi-Chandigarh: The feasibility and implementation study of this Corridor for raising the speed of passengers train to 200 KMPH  on  50:50  percent cost sharing basis awarded  to SNCF/France.
-  Other  Corridors:  The  quantum  of  various  technical  inputs required  for  upgradation  of  speed  of  passenger  trains  to  160 KMPH  on these corridors have been identified by the concerned Zonal Railways and Konkan Railway.

Moreover,  in  Railway  Budget  2016-17,  a  new  category  of  train service  viz.  Tejas  has  been  announced  which  is  planned  to  be operated at a maximum speed of 130 KMPH and above.

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