Patna: In a major boost to rail infrastructure, the East Central Railway (ECR) on Wednesday achieved a milestone conducting successfully a high-speed trial of 180 km per hour on the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya (DDU)–Gaya–Pradhankhunta Junction (Dhanbad) route, covering a stretch of 417 km under its jurisdiction.With the successful trial personally supervised by ECR GM Chhatrasal Singh, the speed limit on this section of the Grand Chord (GC) route has been enhanced from 160 kmph to 180 kmph. “The move is expected to significantly improve traffic efficiency and reduce travel time for trains running between New Delhi and Howrah via the Grand Chord corridor,” said ECR’s chief public relations officer (CPRO) Saraswati Chandra.In addition, the speed upgradation is part of a broader strategy to modernise key high-density routes and enhance the overall performance of train operations. To support higher speeds, extensive track strengthening and infrastructure upgrades have been carried out across the section, he said.A key highlight of the project is the installation of the indigenous ‘Kavach’ system—an advanced anti-collision and automatic train protection (ATP) technology—developed to enhance safety and reliability, CPRO said adding the system has been implemented at a cost of Rs1,822 crore, ensuring better control over train movements and minimising the risk of accidents.According to sources, the ECR has been focusing on comprehensive infrastructure development across its network, particularly on critical routes like the Grand Chord, which plays a vital role in connecting northern and eastern India, sources said adding the successful trial marks a significant step towards faster, safer and more efficient rail travel, aligning with Indian Railways’ vision ‘Raftar’ of modernising its network and improving passenger experience, reducing travel time by 40 to 60 minutes between Delhi and Howrah via GC route.
