The Indian Railways is strategizing to incorporate an additional 3,000 trains into its network over the next four to five years, aiming to accommodate the surging number of passengers resulting from population growth, according to PTI. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the need to bolster capacity from the current 800 crore passengers annually to 1,000 crore in the specified timeframe due to the expanding population. To achieve this goal, 3,000 extra trains will be introduced, facilitating multiple trips to accommodate the rising passenger numbers.
Indian Railways’ Ambitious Plan: Adding Thousands of Coaches and New Trains, and Optimizing Travel Times on Key Routes
The railways currently possesses 69,000 new coaches, with its subsidiary manufacturing approximately 5,000 new coaches annually. The plan involves adding 200 to 250 new trains each year, in addition to 400 to 450 Vande Bharat trains expected to join the network in the coming years.
Minister Vaishnaw outlined efforts to enhance train speed and expand the rail network. The focus is on minimizing the time required for acceleration and deceleration, particularly on long-distance routes, where speed reduction occurs at various cautionary points and curves. By optimizing acceleration and deceleration times at these locations, a significant reduction of two hours and 20 minutes can be achieved on routes like Delhi-Kolkata served by Rajdhani Express.
Optimizing Rail Efficiency: Vande Bharat Trains’ Superior Performance and Push-Pull Innovation
The minister highlighted the superior acceleration and deceleration capabilities of Vande Bharat trains, four times more efficient than other mail and express trains, resulting in considerable time savings. While the gradual introduction of Vande Bharat trains on all routes is underway, an interim solution involves the implementation of a push-pull configuration mode technology on newly manufactured coaches. This enhancement is expected to substantially reduce travel time for long-distance trains, contributing to the efficient utilization of the rail network.
