Trains to run at 160kpmh on Mumbai-Ahmedabad route from Aug 15

The trains will run at 160kmph between Virar and Surat, then to Ahmedabad. However, the speed limit will be 100kmph from Mumbai Central to Borivali and 110kmph between Borivali and Virar.

Mumbai: Many trains such as Vande Bharat, Shatabdi, IRCTC Tejas, Double Decker, and Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani will increase their speed from 130kmph to 160kmph on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route from August 15.

The trains will move at 160kmph between Virar and Surat, then to Ahmedabad. The speed limit will be 100kmph from Mumbai Central to Borivali and 110kmph between Borivali and Virar. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) will perform inspections in July to authorize the speed upgrade, which is required prior to implementation.

Necessary Infrastructure for Speed Enhancement

To attain faster speed, thorough track repairs, overhead wiring improvements, and the installation of Kavach technology were completed. The Railway Board has directed divisional railway managers to complete any outstanding tasks by June 30, including mandatory track blocks.

So far, key infrastructure enhancements have included barricade barriers along 565km of track, track renovations, signaling improvements on 126 railway bridges, and overhead wire installations.

In addition to the tracks and overhead equipment (OHE), the deployment of Kavach technology and higher sleeper density aim to overcome the speed-related issues.

The upgradations are intended to reduce passenger journey times. For example, the Vande Bharat Express, which currently takes 5.25 hours, will complete its journey in 4.40 hours at 160kmph. Similarly, the Shatabdi Express will reduce travel time from 5.50 to 4.50 hours, the IRCTC Tejas Express from 6.25 to 5.50 hours, the Double Decker from 6.55 to 6.15 hours, and the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani from 15.32 to 12 hours.