High-speed train: Expert team for 10-coach rake

Given the high gradient and curvature on the Mysore-Bangalore-Chennai railway route, a team of experts from the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and the High Speed Rail Corporation (HSRC) has decided to get rakes of only 8-10 coaches, down from 20-22 coaches, for the proposed high-speed train.

Railway authorities have no option but to get smaller rakes with in-built system to negotiate the curves and take care of the gradient.

Still, the train is most likely to run at a maximum speed of 135-140 km that is substantially higher than the present 100 kmph.

The conclusion was drawn after a two-day feasibility inspection by the officials of RVNL and HSRC and members of a Chinese delegation. Mukul Jain, director (operations), RVNL; Vinay Singh, CEO, HSRC; Alok Tiwari, chief project manager, RVNL, Bangalore; Pradeep Gaur, chief project manager, Chennai, and others were part of the team.

Members of the team concluded that the gradient is not as difficult to be taken care of as the curvature, especially between Mysore and Bangalore that is way too difficult a stretch compared to the Bangalore-Chennai one.

According to officials, the feasibility study is in the initial stage and the team is gathering inputs by noting down the physical aspects, the likely hindrances, etc. This is being done to overcome the numerous curves between Bangalore and Mysore that was upgraded from meter gauge to broad gauge recently. The Mysore-Bangalore-Chennai track is unlike the Delhi-Agra or Mumbai-Ahmedabad route given the unruly terrain of the Deccan Plateau.

The team will give its inputs to the Ministry of Railways, after which a team of experts, including officials of RVNL and HSRC, will visit China. Only after tabulating all the inputs will a concrete plan on executing the high-speed rail be chalked out.  A senior official in RVNL said that the team had to keep in mind the limited resources of the railways while coming up with a solution.

In September, the Indian railways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to increase the speed in its existing rail network, modernise stations and enhance mutual co-operation in this sector. The railways had identified Mysore-Bangalore-Chennai section for increasing the speed up to 160 km per hour with China’s help.

As per the action plan on the proposed high-speed train, China will conduct design and survey for the specified sections besides imparting training to the railway personnel on speed-raising.