Railways' high-speed plans on slow track as clearances come in the way

Railways launched Mission Raftaar in 2016-17 to increase the average speed of trains on existing tracks, but multiplicity of plans has come in the way of implementation

The year just gone by was supposed to have seen the Indian Railways’ tryst with a new speed record. Train-18, an engine-less train that rolled out of Chennai’s Integral Coach Factory (ICF) on October 29 for successful test runs, was slated to start commercial service between Delhi and Varanasi in December. That deadline has been postponed for want of some clearances from the Commission of Railway Safety.

 Now, it is 2019 that is expected to see the train, which can clock speeds of up to 180 kmph, in operation just ahead of the Ardha Kumbh mela on January 14. It is