The Indian Railways is planning to reduce the speed of premium trains such as Vande Bharat and Gatiman Express on specific routes. The North Central Railway has requested the Railway Board to lower the speed from 160 kmph to 130 kmph for several trains, including the Delhi-Jhansi-Delhi Gatiman Express, Delhi-Khajuraho-Delhi Vande Bharat Express, Delhi-Rani Kamalapati-Delhi Vande Bharat Express, and Delhi-Rani Kamalapati-Delhi Shatabdi Express. This decision is driven by a focus on enhancing safety, particularly in the wake of several recent train accidents.
The proposal highlights concerns about the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS), a safety mechanism designed to prevent collisions. As per the proposal, the speed of Gatiman and Vande Bharat Express trains will be decreased from 160 kmph to 130 kmph, while the Shatabdi Express speed will be reduced from 150 kmph to 130 kmph. While this adjustment is expected to enhance safety, it will also result in an extended travel time of approximately 25-30 minutes for these trains.
The North Central Railway’s proposal follows a similar suggestion by the Northern Railway, which also proposed either eliminating TPWS or lowering train speeds to 130 kmph. This proposal had been under consideration by the Railway Board since November 6, 2023. However, the North Central Railway introduced a new proposal on June 25, 2024, specifically requesting the reduction of train speeds to 130 kmph due to the inability to repair or maintain TPWS.
Sources indicate that the Railway Board is likely to approve the proposal, given that two zonal railways have formally requested this change citing safety concerns. This adjustment will necessitate revising the speed or schedules of approximately 8-10 other trains. It is anticipated that the running times of these trains will also be adjusted to maintain operational efficiency alongside the premium trains.
The decision to reduce train speeds comes amid growing concerns over the safety of train operations in India. In the past two years, several tragic accidents have resulted in multiple casualties, highlighting the need for improved safety measures. Some notable incidents include the collision of three trains in Odisha’s Kharagpur Division on June 2, 2023, the derailment of the Anand Vihar Terminal-Kamakhya Junction North East Express in Bihar on October 11, 2023, the rear-end collision of two passenger trains in Andhra Pradesh’s Waltair Division on October 29, 2023, and the recent Kanchanjunga Express accident in West Bengal’s Katihar Division on June 17, 2024. These incidents have been attributed to signal failures and alleged negligence on the part of locomotive pilots and other personnel.
