Rajdhanis, Shatabdis, Durontos to go Push-Pull and reduce trip times. RB asks Zones to ensure speedy implementation
Zones asked to suggest a revised timetable for converted trains.
Mumbai Rajdhani and August Kranti Rajdhani are ready to be switched to Push-Pull
The Railway Board has asked zones to convert all Rajdhani services to Push-Pull configuration by March 2020. The Board has expressed concern on the slow progress on this front and has asked zones to ensure compliance with deadlines.
This is one of the measures being taken by the Indian Railways to speed up its premium train services. Work on upgrading the Mumbai-New Delhi and the New-Delhi Howrah corridors to 160 kph is also underway.
Eastern Railway has committed to convert both the Howrah and Sealdah Rajdhanis to Push-Pull by 31st March 2020.
However, only services that run on electric traction for the entire journey are likely to switch to Push-Pull mode. So far, only electric locomotives of WAP-7 and WAP-5 classes have been modified to operate in Push-Pull mode.
28 WAP-5 and 69 WAP-7 class locomotives are Push-Pull compliant as of now. More locomotives of these classes are likely to be converted over the next few months to ensure adequate availability for all three categories of trains.
Not All Services To Go Push-Pull So Soon
As of now, the Mumbai Rajdhani group, the Howrah Rajdhani group, Patna Rajdhani, Bengaluru Rajdhani, Secunderabad Rajdhani, Bilaspur Rajdhani, Bhubaneswar Rajdhani and the Chennai Rajdhani services run entirely under electric traction.
Left out are Trivandrum Rajdhani, Madgaon Rajdhani, Agartala Rajdhani, Dibrugarh Rajdhani and Ahmedabad Rajdhani services. These services run on diesel traction for a significant part of their route.
The Railway Board has also asked for careful monitoring of energy consumption and regeneration on these trains.
RDSO and the Production Units have also been asked to extend support for standardization of the Push-Pull system and to ensure that locomotives are turned out with Push-Pull and HOG as standard.
Durontos to go Push-Pull
Significantly, Duronto services have also been included in the categories of services planned for a switch to the Push-Pull mode.
However, no timeline was specified for Duronto and Shatabdi services to be shifted to the new configuration.
[Story has been updated to remove references to Bhubaneswar Rajdhani being run partly under diesel traction. The error is regretted]