South Western Railway Starts Vande Bharat Safety Trials on Critical Western Ghats Section

South Western Railway's Mysuru Division has begun field testing a 20-car Vande Bharat Express rake equipped with an automatic emergency braking system on the challenging Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section, as per news reports. 

The exercise is part of the assessment for operating the semi-high-speed train between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, with technical teams examining its performance under the route's demanding conditions. 

20-Car Rake Under Field Testing 

The rake was specially manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, and reached Mysuru last week. Static trials were conducted there on Tuesday before the train was moved to Sakleshpur that night for field testing. 

Mudit Mittal, Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager, said personnel from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) were onboard to evaluate technical and operational parameters. 

Braking and Stability Under Evaluation 

The field trials are scheduled to continue for a few days in Ghat-section conditions, covering braking, acceleration, stability and other operational parameters. 

The automatic emergency braking system is also being evaluated. The section presents particular operational challenges because of its steep gradients, sharp curves, tunnels and bridges across the Western Ghats, affecting speed management, braking and safe train movement. 

Key Link Between Bengaluru and Coast 

The Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road stretch forms part of the Bengaluru-Mangaluru railway line, an important connection between Karnataka's capital and its coastal region. 

Originally built as a metre-gauge line, the route was later converted to broad gauge and currently handles both passenger and freight traffic. 

Possible Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Service 

Completion of the trials and the required safety clearances would enable consideration of a Vande Bharat service on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route. 

The proposed service would provide faster connectivity between Bengaluru and Mangaluru and improve access for passengers travelling to and from important towns along the route. 

Read More: RBI Cancels Registration of 59 NBFCs Across Multiple States in India! 

Conclusion 

The ongoing trials are assessing the Vande Bharat rake's suitability for the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route, with particular focus on performance, safety-related parameters and automatic emergency braking across the challenging Ghat section. 

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