<p>The railways will implement Rs 18000-crore project to operate trains at a speed of 160 kmph on the busy Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata routes by upgrading infrastructure, Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Once the project begins, it will take at least four years to complete, he said after inaugurating the International Rail Conference-2019 and the 13th International Railway Equipment Exhibition.</p>.<p>The events have been organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with the Railways at Aerocity here.</p>.<p>The railways' target is to operate high speed trains in two categories -- at 160 kmph on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata routes, and up to 320 kmph under the ongoing bullet train project between Mumbai-Ahmedabad.</p>.<p>Currently, the average maximum speed of trains on various routes is 99 kmph and the recently introduced Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express touches an average speed of 104 kmph on the Delhi-Kanpur section.</p>.<p>The upgrade of infrastructure to operate trains at 160 kmph includes fencing, upgrade of track and signalling, and elimination of unmanned level-crossings, according to the Railway Ministry.</p>.<p>The railways is in a "transformation mode" and "is in the process of modernisation", Yadav said, adding that as part of this, the 68000-km broad-gauge track network will be electrified in the next three years.</p>.<p>He said at present, 28000 km is electrified and for next year a target of 7000 km has been set.</p>.<p>The railways will also implement a 'multi-tracking' project in the 34000 km 'highly busy and utilised' rail network in a phased manner. Additional tracks will be laid in these routes as nearly 96 per cent of the country's trains ply there, the railway board chairman said.</p>.<p>On bio-toilets, Yadav said 95 per cent of rail coaches have environment-friendly washrooms and the rest will have it in the next two to three months.</p>.<p>Board Member (Rolling Stock) Rajesh Agarwal said 100 units of Vande Bharat Express (semi high speed inter-city electric multiple unit) will be manufactured in the next five years.</p>.<p>Similarly, the railways will produce more aluminium coaches. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning to review the railway projects, he said.</p>.<p>The board's Additional Member (Mechanical) A K Agarwal said the railways is planning to upgrade on a massive scale passenger services and amenities, production of rolling stocks and capacity building.</p>.<p>An MoU was signed in the event between Ghana's Railway Development Ministry and RITES for implementing the rail projects in that country. Ghana railway development minister Joe Ghartey was present.</p>.<p>The Rail India Technical and Economic Service) or RITES is an engineering consultancy company of the Railways.</p>.<p>CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee highlighted the importance of the exhibition when India is in the fast track of development.</p>.<p>The CII's rail transportation and equipment division chairman Anand Chidambaram said this was Asia's largest exhibition. </p>
<p>The railways will implement Rs 18000-crore project to operate trains at a speed of 160 kmph on the busy Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata routes by upgrading infrastructure, Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Once the project begins, it will take at least four years to complete, he said after inaugurating the International Rail Conference-2019 and the 13th International Railway Equipment Exhibition.</p>.<p>The events have been organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with the Railways at Aerocity here.</p>.<p>The railways' target is to operate high speed trains in two categories -- at 160 kmph on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata routes, and up to 320 kmph under the ongoing bullet train project between Mumbai-Ahmedabad.</p>.<p>Currently, the average maximum speed of trains on various routes is 99 kmph and the recently introduced Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express touches an average speed of 104 kmph on the Delhi-Kanpur section.</p>.<p>The upgrade of infrastructure to operate trains at 160 kmph includes fencing, upgrade of track and signalling, and elimination of unmanned level-crossings, according to the Railway Ministry.</p>.<p>The railways is in a "transformation mode" and "is in the process of modernisation", Yadav said, adding that as part of this, the 68000-km broad-gauge track network will be electrified in the next three years.</p>.<p>He said at present, 28000 km is electrified and for next year a target of 7000 km has been set.</p>.<p>The railways will also implement a 'multi-tracking' project in the 34000 km 'highly busy and utilised' rail network in a phased manner. Additional tracks will be laid in these routes as nearly 96 per cent of the country's trains ply there, the railway board chairman said.</p>.<p>On bio-toilets, Yadav said 95 per cent of rail coaches have environment-friendly washrooms and the rest will have it in the next two to three months.</p>.<p>Board Member (Rolling Stock) Rajesh Agarwal said 100 units of Vande Bharat Express (semi high speed inter-city electric multiple unit) will be manufactured in the next five years.</p>.<p>Similarly, the railways will produce more aluminium coaches. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning to review the railway projects, he said.</p>.<p>The board's Additional Member (Mechanical) A K Agarwal said the railways is planning to upgrade on a massive scale passenger services and amenities, production of rolling stocks and capacity building.</p>.<p>An MoU was signed in the event between Ghana's Railway Development Ministry and RITES for implementing the rail projects in that country. Ghana railway development minister Joe Ghartey was present.</p>.<p>The Rail India Technical and Economic Service) or RITES is an engineering consultancy company of the Railways.</p>.<p>CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee highlighted the importance of the exhibition when India is in the fast track of development.</p>.<p>The CII's rail transportation and equipment division chairman Anand Chidambaram said this was Asia's largest exhibition. </p>