June 7, 2023: The Southern Railway is planning to introduce a new semi-high-speed train service between Bangalore and Chennai, which will reduce travel time to two hours and 15 minutes, according to media reports. Currently, the fastest train service on the Bangalore-Chennai route is the Vande Bharat Express, operating at 81 kilometre per hour (kmph) and the travel time taken is around four hours and 25 minutes.
The new train service is expected to be launched in the next few months. The Southern Railway has floated a tender for a final location survey (FLS) for the new semi-high-speed broad gauge line connecting the two cities. The design speed of the proposed line is targeted to be 220 kmph, with an operational speed of 200 kmph.
The semi-high-speed train service will comprise a fully reserved train with 16 coaches, including two executive class coaches. The railway ministry has allotted a budget of Rs 8.3 crore for the survey, covering around 350 km between Byappanahalli in Bangalore to Chennai Central.
The selected firm will be responsible for conducting an aerial LiDAR survey, developing a detailed final alignment, carrying out a traffic study, preparing detailed plans and estimates and submitting a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The survey report is expected to be submitted in three months.
Further, the Southern Railway plans to upgrade the existing track on the Bangalore-Chennai route. The track will be upgraded to handle trains operating at a speed of up to 200 kmph. The track upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
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