Mumbai: Bad news for those who are desperately waiting for the Mumbai and Ahmedabad high-speed train. According to the latest reports, the project is expected to take another two years to complete, since the tracks must first be fully equipped with Kavach (the safety system) to support speeds of up to 160 km/h.
At present, work on Kavach is in the advanced stage between Virar-Nagda and Vadodara-Ahmedabad, but the timeline for its completion has not yet been specified. As per the officials, the infrastructure is being prepared to allow the train to run at higher speeds.
On the Mumbai-Gujarat section, the electrical work has been completed, while signaling work is still underway.
Here are some of the key details:
- Currently, all premium trains on this line run at a speed of 130 km/h, taking at least 5 hours and 35 minutes to travel from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.
- Once the trains start running at 160 km/h, the journey time could be reduced to around 4 hours and 45 minutes.
- The timetables of other trains will also be revised.
- For the high-speed train, fencing on both sides of the tracks along the entire route has been completed.
- The base beneath the tracks has also been widened to ensure stability at higher speeds.
- Two separate 25,000-volt power lines (2×25,000 volts) have been installed along the entire route.
In the suburban section, Kavach installation has also begun. OFC cables have been fully laid between Virar and Dahisar. The introduction of the Kavach system on suburban lines is expected to reduce accidents.