First semi-high speed train trial on Delhi-Agra route

New Delhi, 3 July 2014

The trial run of the country’s fastest train between Delhi and Agra was successful today, but target was missed out slightly. The semi-high speed train took 100 minutes to cover the distance between Delhi and Agra against targeted 90 minutes time.

The current shortest travel time between Agra and Delhi through rain journey is 120 minutes. The semi-high speed train has reduced it by 20 minutes in trial run.

At present the faster train in India is Bhopal Shatabdi Express which runs at 150 kmph speed between Delhi and Agra.

The semi-high speed train runs at 160 kmph speed. It is likely to start its service on Delhi-Agra stretch in November this year.

Contributing factors of fastest journey by new train include WAP 7 5400HP electric locomotive engine from the Ghaziabad Local shed and upgraded curves and spreed restriction areas on the Delhi-Agra route.

To make the track permanently ready for semi-high speed train, there will be fencing for a stretch of 27 km. During today’s trial run, the Indian Railways had deployed Railway Protection Force on this stretch for smooth run.

There are plan to run semi-high speed trains on Delhi-Kanpur and Delhi-Chandigarh routes in future.

The train on trial run had Shatabdi Express like coaches. Commissioner Railway Safety PK Vajpayee and Divisional Railway Managers(DRM) of Delhi and Agra were on board during the trial run.