Kolkata-Delhi high-speed corridor: Eastern Railway starts work to create infrastructure
Kolkata: Eastern Railway on Wednesday started the groundwork for creating infrastructure of a high-speed rail corridor between Kolkata and Delhi. The corridor is expected to cut down travel time from 17 to 12 hours. The Railway authorities are hopeful that the 160 kmph high-speed rail corridor will complete by 2022. The total cost of construction is Rs 6600 crore.
Eastern Railway Howrah division has started the replacement overhead wire and then take up the track modification work. A boundary wall will be built along the track.
In a bid to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to trains at a speed, the overhead wire has been replaced at a distance of 1. 5 kilometres. It will be done in a phased manner between Howrah and Burdwan and so on. "The overhead wire replacement work has started in the Howrah and Asansol division," said Ishaq Khan, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Howrah. Rajdhani or 2301 Howrah – New Delhi AC special is running daily. At present, it runs at a speed of 77 km per hour and covers 1531 km. It takes 16 hours 55 minutes to reach from its source to the destination.
However, the frequency of 02303/02304 Howrah – New Delhi special (via Patna) and 02381/02382 Howrah – New Delhi special (via Dhanbad) will be increased from weekly to bi-weekly. 02381 Howrah – New Delhi special (via Dhanbad) will leave on every Sunday and Thursday from Howrah with effect from September 27 and 02382 New Delhi – Howrah special (via Dhanbad) will leave on every Monday and Friday from New Delhi with effect from September 28.
02303 Howrah – New Delhi special (via Patna) will leave on every Tuesday and Saturday from Howrah with from 29 and 02304 New Delhi – Howrah special (via Patna) will leave on every Wednesday and Sunday from New Delhi with effect from September 30.
The booking of the increased days will be available from September 24.
Meanwhile, Aneet Dulat joined as new Additional General Manager (AGM), Eastern Railway on Monday. An MA and M.Phil from Punjab University, Dulat belongs to 1985 IRTS batch. Prior to his posting as AGM/ER, he was Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Northeast Frontier Railway.
