Railway to build high-speed track from Delhi to Jaipur

Indian Railways plans to build an elevated corridor between Delhi Cantonment and Jaipur that will run semi-high speed trains at 200-220 kmph. The elevated stretch was originally proposed to be built up to Rewari in Haryana, but the national transporter is now investigating whether it can be extended up to Jaipur. In the coming years, Vande Bharat trains will be upgraded to run at 220 kmph, which will be ideal for faster inter-city rail connectivity. There has been a surge in the number of fast and luxurious trains, making travel more enjoyable for the wealthy. However, given the state's limited resources, the key question is: how urgently do we need a train of this type on a route where an expansive motorway has just been completed? We also hope that authorities don't lose sight of the less glamorous trains that transport millions of passengers every day. Ordinary people, too, are entitled to a good travel experience. Northern Railways has already developed a detailed plan, which will be presented to the Railway Board for approval soon, according to sources. It was found feasible to have an elevated track between Delhi and Rewari as there is adequate land available. Since we run regular suburban local trains between Delhi and Rewari, this impacts running of goods trains and other long distance passenger trains. Construction of elevated track will help us in segregation of trains that can take the elevated stretch, said an official. This will reduce traffic on the existing corridor and shorten travel time between Delhi and Jaipur. Union minister and Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit Singh backed up the Railways' plan, saying the proposed upgrade of the Gurgaon railway station is being redesigned as a result of the new plan. He stated that, while the original plan was to complete the tendering process by March, due to a change in plans, work on redesigning the station has begun. Railways intend to construct elevated tracks for semi-high speed passenger trains on popular routes such as Delhi-Jaipur, Mumbai-Pune, Bangalore-Chennai, and Delhi-Amritsar via Chandigarh. This would necessitate a direct budget support investment of Rs 150-160 crore per km. The majority of the routes identified are between 200 and 300 kilometres long, and there is a high demand for premium train service in these sectors. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned the construction of elevated tracks as a possibility for running faster passenger trains. He claimed that many countries, including Japan, Korea, Europe, Taiwan, and China, have elevated networks. The railway ministry has also announced the introduction of Vande Metro trains, which will function as shuttle trains on intercity stretches of approximately 100 kilometres. Construction of elevated tracks on congested railway corridors can be a huge benefit to commuters as well as faster freight movement to consumption centres. See also: Railway Board rejects DPR for Delhi-Varanasi bullet train project Nashik-Pune rail project beacons a new corridor