Railways to bring down speed of select Vande Bharat, Gatiman Express trains

• The Indian Railways will soon cut down the maximum speed of premium trains, including Vande Bharat and Gatiman Express, from the present 160 kmph to 130 kmph on select routes to ensure safety.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Going by the proposal that was “desired to ensure safety”, the speed of Gatiman and Vande Bharat Express trains will be reduced from 160 kmph to 130 kmph while that of Shatabdi Express will be cut down from 150 kmph to 130 kmph.
• This will result in an increase in running time by 25-30 minutes and lead to changes in the timings of at least 10 superfast express trains on these routes, the sources said.

TPWS failure

• A Northern Railway proposal to dispense with TPWS or reduce speed of trains to 130 kmph was pending with the Board since November 6, 2023.
• As repair or maintenance of TPWS was not possible, according to a report of the Divisional Railway Manager, the Railway Board was requested to downgrade the premium trains to be operated “at a much safer speed of 130 kmph

Prelims Takeaway

• Gatiman Express
• Vande Bharat Express