In a significant stride towards modernizing and enhancing rail services, passenger trains have achieved an impressive operational speed of 130 kmph on the Pune-Daund rail route. This notable achievement was realized on Monday, August 28, as Train No. 18520 Lomanya Tilak Terminus-Vishakhapatnam Express became the pioneer in reaching this elevated speed benchmark.
The journey of Train No. 18520 commenced its expedition from Pune at precisely 10:42 AM, covering the distance to Daund station by 11:43 AM. This operational advancement translates to a time-saving of 5 minutes for the entire travel distance of 76 kilometers between Pune and Daund. Building on this success, plans are underway to extend this remarkable speed to two more trains—Train No. 22944 Indore-Daund Express and Train No. 11301 Mumbai-Bengaluru Udyan Express.
This strategic endeavor is rooted in a larger vision of systematically elevating the speed of all 22 pairs of trains equipped with LHB (Linke Hofmann Busch) rakes on the Pune-Daund route to 130 kmph. This represents a substantial upgrade from the previous speed limit of 110 kmph. To facilitate this increased speed, meticulous technical groundwork has been executed. This includes enhancements to the railway track infrastructure, adherence to Overhead Equipment (OHE) regulations, and modifications to signaling systems—each tailored to ensure a secure and seamless travel experience.
The transition to this new speed limit has been underpinned by stringent safety measures. Prior to the operationalization of the elevated speed, a comprehensive technical inspection of the rail section was conducted by a collaborative team led by Chief Safety Commissioner of the Central Circle, Manoj Arora, General Manager of Central Railway, Naresh Lalwani, and Divisional Railway Manager of Pune Division, Indu Dubey. Their concerted efforts involved a thorough assessment of the infrastructure, identification of potential areas for enhancement, and resolution of operational bottlenecks. The outcome of this cooperative initiative is the successful operation of the first train at the elevated speed of 130 kmph, setting the stage for enhanced rail services in the region.
