Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Train

Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Train

Running of high speed trains in the country

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

RAJYA SABHA
QUESTION NO 1415
ANSWERED ON 21.12.2018

Running of high speed trains in the country

1415 Shri Ranjib Biswal
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :-
(a) the total length of rail tracks in the country, as on date;
(b) whether Railways is planning to run high speed trains in the country;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the routes selected for the purpose, particularly in the eastern part of the country;
(d) whether it is a fact that only 0.3 percent of tracks are fit to handle trains running at the speed of 160 km per hour;
(e) if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the measures taken to repair the tracks first for use of high speed trains like Train-18?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (f) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO1415 BY SHRI RANJIB BISWAL ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 21.12.2018 REGARDING RUNNING OF HIGH SPEED TRAINS IN THE COUNTRY.

(a) The total length of rail tracks in the country, as on 31.03.2017, is 1,21,407 track kilometer.

(b) & (c) Government of India has sanctioned Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project with the estimated cost of Rs. 1,08,000 Crore with technical and financial assistance of Government of Japan.
In addition, Government has identified the following routes connecting four major metros and growth centers of the country for feasibility studies for high-speed rail:
(i) Delhi – Mumbai; (ii) Delhi – Kolkata; (iii) Mumbai – Chennai; (iv) Delhi – Nagpur segment of Delhi – Chennai; (v) Mumbai – Nagpur segment of Mumbai -Kolkata; and (vi) Chennai – Bengaluru – Mysuru.

(d) & (e) No, Sir. Running of high speed trains is decided on specific routes of Indian Railways, only after conducting necessary trials. Required improvements in the field of track, signal and traction are carried out as per trial reports.

(f) Rajdhani and other important trains are already running on same route. Routine maintenance of track is done, alongwith requisite speed restriction wherever required for conducting trial of Train-18.