SWR plans 130 kmph top speed on Hubballi-Bengaluru railway line

When much is already being talked about having the semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train service between Hubballi-Dharwad and Bengaluru after the completion of doubling and electrification works on Hubballi-Bengaluru line that is targeted for March end, the South-Western Railway (SWR) has proposed the Railway Board to facilitate to increase the maximum permissible speed of trains (speed potential of tracks) on this line from existing 110 km per hour at feasible sections to 130 km per hour.

In addition, the SWR has shared its proposal with Southern Railway (SR), and South-Central Railway (SWR), as part of the process to seek nod for maximum speed limit of Rs 160 km per hour at feasible sections on Bengaluru-Chennai and Bengaluru-Hyderabad lines. Budgetary allocation has been sought to take up works needed to increase the speed potential of tracks.

At present, the SWR has 110 kmph speed potential of tracks over 808 kms.

"Works related to double the line between Hubballi and Bengaluru would be completed in February. Electrification of 154 km on this line is pending, and that would also be completed by March end. The KPTCL has been asked to provide five transmission line connections," said SWR General Manager Sanjeev Kishore.

Speaking to media persons here on Thursday, he stated that next 100 days are crucial for completing this project as per the target, as it was affected due to the strike by stone crushers.
Completion of doubling and electrification of this line is expected to be followed by the introduction of Vande Bharat Express train between Dharwad and Bengaluru, as the stretch between Hubballi and Dharwad is already doubled and electrified.

According to Sanjeev Kishore, Vande Bharat Express can be extended upto Belagavi also, as doubling and electrification of the stretch till Belagavi would also be completed in a few more months.

The ongoing project to lay the new railway line between Davangere and Tamakuru is expected to be completed in three years. This would reduce the journey distance between Hubballi and Bengaluru by 65 km, and journey time would be less by more than one hour, he added.
He also said, Dharwad-Belagavi direct line project is also being taken up on high priority, and tender would be floated after the State government completes the land acquisition process.
"We have also proposed new road-over-bridges, automatic signalling on crowded corridors, and additional looplines and platforms in the SWR, for the budget 2023-24. Additional maintenance facilities would also come up," Sanjeev Kishore said.

For 'Vande Bharat'

Meanwhile, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has stated that the Union government is working actively to introduce Vande Bharat Express train between Hubballi-Dharwad and Bengaluru, and preparations are on to start this service at the earliest.
"As a part of the project, the existing Curve No 24 between Saunshi and Kundgol, which had a 3.01 degree curve, was straightened to 1.6 degrees. This would facilitate an increase in the speed of the train on this curve from 75 kmph to 120 kmph," Joshi noted.