Railway Board reduces speed of Vande Bharat, Gatiman Express trains to 130 kmph
Deccan ChronicleNew Delhi: The Railway Board has reduced the speed of semi-high speed trains Gatimaan Express and Vande Bharat from 160 kmph to 130 kmph till the automatic train protection system gets operational. On June 24, the Railway Board's executive director issued a letter to the general manager of NCR zone and said that the issue of speed of these trains was examined.It is decided that as advised earlier, Zonal Railways to expedite IR-ATP Kavach works in the section and till the time the Automatic Train Protection system is operational, trains to run at maximum speed of 130 kmph in the section, the letter said. Directing the NCR zone to ensure the instruction, the letter said that the direction of reduction in speed has also been approved by the Railway Board's Member, Infra; Member, Traction and Rolling Stock; and Member, Operation and Business Development.The Board took the decision on its own in the wake of the recent Kanchanjunga Express accident in West Bengal in which a goods train hit the passenger train from the rear killing 10 people including the freight train's driver,a source in the Board told PTI, adding that the speed restriction has been in operation since June 25. Vande Bharat runs at 130 kmph across all rail networks except this New-Delhi Agra route as it gets a suitable track to go up to 160, another railway source said.