**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1639, to be answered on December 10, 2025, regarding the operational speed of Vande Bharat trains. It details the ongoing and completed railway track upgrades and improvements undertaken by Indian Railways over the past 11 years, as well as future plans. The goal is to increase the speed potential of the tracks.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Track Upgradation and Improvement Measures:**
* Modern track structure with 60kg, 90 UTS rails, wider pre-stressed concrete sleepers, and steel channel/H-beam sleepers on girder bridges.
* Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossings used in turnout renewal.
* Increased supply of 130m/260m long rail panels to reduce welding joints.
* Use of Thick Web Switch Expansion Joints.
* Adoption of Flash Butt Welding technology.
* Mechanized track maintenance using high-output tampers.
* Deployment of rail grinding machines.
* Mechanisation of track laying activities (PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc.).
* Interlocking of Level Crossing Gates.
* Advanced USFD testing with Phased Array technology.
* Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS) and Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS).
* Portable Track Measuring Trolley.
* Web-enabled Track Management System (TMS) for data analytics.
* Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems at 6656 stations as of 31.10.2025.
* Interlocking of Level Crossing Gates at 10098 Level Crossing Gates up to 31.10.2025.
* Axle counters for automatic clearance of Block Sections at 6142 Block Sections up to 31.10.2025.
* Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) at 6341 Route km up to 31.10.2025.
* **Kavach Implementation:**
* Kavach adopted as a National ATP system in July 2020 and is being progressively implemented.
* Deployed on 1,465 RKm on South Central Railway.
* Work in progress on Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors (approximately 3,000 RKm).
* Commissioned over 633 Route Km on Palwal - Mathura - Nagda section and 105 Route Km on Howrah - Bardhaman section.
* **Speed Potential Improvements:**
* Significant increase in speed potential of tracks.
* Tracks capable of 130 kmph & above increased from 5,036 Km (6.3%) in 2014 to 23,010 Km (21.8%) in November 2025.
* Tracks capable of 110-130 kmph increased from 26,409 Km (33.3%) in 2014 to 60,726 Km (57.5%) in November 2025.
* Tracks capable of <110 kmph decreased from 47,897 Km (60.4%) in 2014 to 21,936 Km (20.8%) in November 2025.
* **Vande Bharat Train Speed:**
* The average speed of train services, including Vande Bharat, depends on the Maximum Permissible Speed (MPS) of the section, track structure, geometry, gradients, curves, stoppages, line capacity utilization, and maintenance works.
* Vande Bharat trains are operated at the Maximum Permissible Speed of the respective sections.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Indian Railways (IR)**
**Impact**
* The document highlights Indian Railway's effort to enhance the safety and capacity of train operations, potentially resulting in higher throughput, reduced delays, and improved resource utilization.
**Action Required**
* Continue to implement and monitor track upgrades, signal improvements and Kavach deployment. Ensure safety certification.
Key Entities Referenced
Vande Bharat Trains: The subject of the parliamentary question regarding operational speed and track upgrades.
Ministry of Railways: The primary government body responsible for the railway network and the subject of the parliamentary question.
Indian Railways: The organization undertaking the track upgrades and responsible for train operations.
Kavach: A National ATP system being deployed to enhance safety, specifically mentioned in relation to track upgrades.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1639
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025
OPERATIONAL SPEED OF VANDE BHARAT TRAINS
1639. SHRI RADHAKRISHNA:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the operational speed of Vande Bharat trains is currently
lower than their designed speed due to limitations in track conditions
along various routes;
(b) if so, the details of the routes where Vande Bharat trains are unable
to operate at their full potential speed;
(c) the status of ongoing/proposed track upgradation, signalling
improvements, and related infrastructure works required to enable higher
operational speeds for Vande Bharat trains; and
(d) the details of the timelines for completing such upgradation works
and achieving higher permissible speeds on major corridors?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (d) Upgradation and improvement of railway tracks on Indian
Railways to increase the speed potential have been carried out in a big
way during last 11 years. Improvement of track infrastructure is a
continuous and ongoing process over Indian Railways. The following
--2/--2-
measures are being taken by Indian Railways to upgrade railway tracks:
i. Modern track structure consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile
Strength (UTS) rails, Wider and heavier Pre-stressed Concrete
Sleepers (PSC) with elastic fastening, fan-shaped layout turnout on
PSC sleepers and Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges
are being used while carrying out primary track renewals.
ii. The Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossings are being used
in turnout renewal works.
iii. Supply of 130m/260m long rail panels have been increased to avoid
welding of joints, thereby improving safety.
iv. Thick Web Switch Expansion Joints are being used in place of earlier
Conventional/Improved SEJs.
v. Adoption of better welding technology for rails i.e. Flash Butt
Welding.
vi. Adoption of mechanized system for track maintenance using high
output plain tampers and points & crossing tampers for improved
maintainability & reliability of track.
vii. Deployment of state-of-the-art modern machines including Rail
Grinding Machines to further improve asset reliability.
viii. Mechanisation of track laying activities through use of track
machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc.
ix. Interlocking of Level Crossing (LC) Gates for enhancing safety at LC
gates.
x. Use of advanced USFD testing technique of rail and welds by Phased
Array technology.
xi. Deployment of Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS) and
Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) for comprehensive health
assessment to ascertain optimal maintenance requirements.
--3/--3-
xii. Adoption of portable Track Measuring Trolley for continuous
recording of track parameters in yards.
xiii. Using web enabled Track Management System (TMS) for integration
and data analytics of the track inspection records received through
various sources to enable precise maintenance inputs.
xiv. Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized operation
of points and signals in place of old mechanical signalling have been
provided at 6656 stations as on 31.10.2025.
xv. Interlocking of Level Crossing Gates (LC) has been provided at 10098
Level Crossing Gates upto 31.10.2025 for enhancing safety at LC
Gate.
xvi. Axle counters for automatic clearance of Block Section, BPAC (Block
Proving Axle Counter) are provided to ensure complete arrival of train
without manual intervention before granting line clear to receive next
train and to reduce human element. These systems have been
provided on 6142 Block Sections up to 31.10.2025.
xvii. Automatic Block Signalling (ABS) that enhances line capacity within
existing track infrastructure has been provided at 6341 Route km
upto 31.10.2025.
xviii. Kavach is a highly technology intensive system, which requires
safety certification of highest order. Kavach was adopted as a
National ATP system in July 2020. Kavach is provided progressively
in phased manner. Kavach has already been deployed on 1,465 RKm
on South Central Railway. Presently, the work is in progress on Delhi-
Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors (approximately 3,000 RKm).
Kavach has been successfully commissioned over 633 Route Km of
Palwal - Mathura - Nagda section (Delhi – Mumbai route) and 105
Route Km of Howrah - Bardhaman section (Delhi - Howrah route).
--4/--4-
As a result of above measures, there has been significant increase in
speed potential of the tracks. The details of speed potential of railway
tracks during 2014 vis-a-vis 2025 are as under:
2025 (up to
2014
Sectional Speed Nov’25)
(kmph) Track
% Track Km %
Km
130 & above 5,036 6.3 23,010 21.8
110 - 130 26,409 33.3 60,726 57.5
< 110 47,897 60.4 21,936 20.8
Total 79,342 100 1,05,672 100
On Indian Railways(IR), the average speed of the train services, including
Vande Bharat services, is dependent inter alia on the Maximum
Permissible Speed (MPS) of the section, track structure, geometry along
the route including gradients and curves, topographical conditions,
number of stoppages enroute, line capacity utilisation of sections,
maintenance works in the section etc. Accordingly, the Vande Bharat
train services have been charted at the Maximum Permissible Speed of
the respective sections over which the trains are being operated.
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