Centre’s response to SilverLine: E. Sreedharan says Railway Board lacks vision, professionalism

He finds fault with suggestions on integrating new line with existing network and ensuring a speed potential of 160 kmph. He says high-speed routes should be capable of operating trains at 200 kmph and advanced signalling system should be used instead of Kavach

Published - January 06, 2025 08:34 pm IST - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Dhinesh Kallungal

In a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, technocrat E. Sreedharan has strongly criticised the Railway Board for suggesting the operation of passenger and freight trains on same broad gauge lines with a speed potential of 160 kmph in place of the semi high-speed rail project submitted by Kerala. The letter was written on December 6, 2024, and Mr. Sreedharan has sent a copy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.

The letter, accessed by The Hindu, says the suggestions forwarded by the board to the Kerala government reveal the lack of vision and professionalism of the board.

Railways in its latest communication to the Kerala government has asked it to revise the DPR of the semi high speed rail project (SilverLine) it submitted by adopting broad gauge instead of the standard gauge suggested by Kerala; integrating the new line with existing Railway network passing through the State at suitable points; ensuring a speed potential of 160 kmph; and by including Kavach, the indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system to avoid collisions.

In the letter, Mr. Sreedharan said he felt sad and disappointed to see the lack of vision and professionalism of the present Railway Board. The board at one stage decided to ease curves to increase the speed of trains to 160 kmph on trunk routes. Side by side, Railways ordered surveys for the third and fourth lines to increase speeds and throughput. Both suggestions are not workable, he said.

Against mixed traffic

The Railway Board’s suggestion to prepare a fresh DPR for SilverLine, adopting a broad gauge with access to freight and ordinary passenger trains at the same time with a speed potential of 160 kmph, will not help Kerala. “Having mixed traffic on high-speed routes is extremely dangerous and the Commissioner of Rail Safety will not certify it. Further, the purpose of having a speed potential of 160 kmph will not be served. For example, the Konkan railway has a speed potential of 160 kmph. But what is the use if we are not able to utilise the high speed potential due to mixed traffic,” he asked.

The letter further said: “the cost of the nation for carrying a passenger on rail is 1/6th of the cost on the road and 1/15th of the cost by air. Therefore, common sense dictates that our country should divert the maximum number of passengers to rail, rather than planning heavy investment on roads and air travel. This is possible only if we have a network of high-speed routes by which the present rail journey time is reduced by 60-65% and enough capacity is created for easy and comfortable rail travel for all. A high-speed rail is equivalent to 9 lanes of motorway in each direction,” he said.

Advanced signalling

High-speed routes should be capable of operating trains at a maximum speed of 200 kmph and not more. “Then only we can have stations at intervals of 25 to 30 km so as to serve the maximum number of people. The high-speed network should also be on standard gauge and exclusively for passenger trains and not linked to the present broad gauge system. We should go for the advanced signalling system instead of Kavach which will permit trains to run every three minute. The technology is now fully available in the country for 200 kmph speed,” he said in the letter. When large volumes of passengers are diverted to high-speed trains, there will be enough capacity released on the existing track for running goods trains, the letter said.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/centres-response-to-silverline-e-sreedharan-says-railway-board-lacks-vision-professionalism/article69068876.ece