Bullet Trains: As India gears up to launch high-speed trains, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said that an automated rainfall monitoring system has been adopted to ensure the safe operations of Bullet Train services.
"To ensure the safe operations of #BulletTrain services, an automated Rainfall Monitoring System has been adopted. This system will provide real-time data on the rainfall using rain gauges, equipped with advanced instrumentation system," Vaishnaw posted on X.
Track maintenance centre to monitor data
According to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is constructing the bullet train project corridor, a track maintenance centre will monitor the data generated by a rain gauge installed near the track. "This data is then shared with the train traffic controller to advise the implementation of necessary procedures for train speed restrictions or relaxation," an NHSRCL official said.
"As the train will run at 320 km speed, every minute precaution is being taken to ensure its safety," he added.
Bullet train's first section to be open by 2026
The Railways Ministry has announced that the first phase of the bullet train project, a 50-km stretch between Surat and Bilimora, will be completed by August 2026. According to the NHSRCL, the bullet train will run at a maximum speed of 320 km/h, covering the 508 km distance from Mumbai to Sabarmati in two hours and 58 minutes, including stops at all 10 stations.
The train will start in Mumbai and end in Sabarmati, with stops at Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad. Of the total 508 km route, 352 km is in Gujarat and Dadar & Nagar Haveli, while the remaining 156 km is in Maharashtra. There are 12 stations in total, with eight located in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra.
(With PTI inputs)
Also Read: Bullet train completion depends on awards of all tenders: Indian Railways
