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Green signal for the country's fastest train

Sandeep Joshi

NEW DELHI: After a few hiccups over safety, India's fastest train is now all set to run between Delhi and Agra at a breathtaking 150 km per hour this coming week, reducing travel time to less than two hours.

The Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi has already undergone several successful trials on this 198-km-long stretch over the past couple of months. The improved new electric locomotive and modern coaches have been tested for all system parameters during the trials. The track has been strengthened and technical upgrading of traction and signalling mechanism has been carried out to ensure a safe and comfortable ride for the passengers. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has given his clearance for the run.

According to Railway Board officials here in the Capital, the train will cut down the travel time between Delhi and Agra from two-and-a-half-hours at present to less than two hours. In the entire section that falls under two zonal railways — Northern Railway and North-Central Railway — concrete walls have been put up and fencing done at stretches along the track to avert trespassing by people or stray cattle. The braking system has been upgraded to forestall any eventuality.

Disclosing that probably for the first time the modern, high-speed locomotive WAP 5 would be used by the Indian Railways, a Railway Board official said spacious state-of-the-art coaches like the German ones used on the Delhi-Lucknow Shatabdi would be attached to the super-fast train to provide comfort and luxury to passengers.

"The super-fast train will not only give a boost to tourism in the city of the Taj but also have an overall impact on the running of trains in the entire section. Gradually, other important trains running between Delhi and Agra will also start operating at 150 kmph, reducing their travel time by almost 30 minutes. We will utilise this time for running trains more efficiently and also introduce more trains," say Railway Board officials.

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