SWR to upgrade maximum speed limit on Yelahanka-Dharmavaram rail corridor

South Western Railway (SWR) has initiated steps to upgrade the 161-km Yelahanka-Dharmavaram rail corridor to support a maximum speed of 130 kmph, up from the present limit of 110 kmph.

The move is part of the Railways’ phased programme to enhance speeds on key routes and is expected to benefit more than 40 passenger and freight trains operating along the stretch, according to officials.

The officials said that the Yelahanka-Dharmavaram section would soon become the second route in the Bengaluru Division to be upgraded to 130 kmph, after the Bengaluru-Jolarpettai section. “The enhancement is expected to reduce travel time and improve punctuality for services connecting Bengaluru with several States, including north Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal,” an official said.

Among the prominent trains operating partly on this corridor is the Yeshwantpur-Kacheguda Vande Bharat Express, which is likely to gain from the improved track standards.

Doubling project

Meanwhile, SWR has commissioned the 30.04-km doubling section between Makajipalli and Dharmavaram as part of the Penukonda-Dharmavaram Doubling Project. The work was cleared following a statutory inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS).

The doubling project involved substantial infrastructure additions, including 66 minor bridges, 15 Road Under Bridges (RUBs), one Foot Over Bridge (FOB), and the development of a station yard with five lines. An Intermediate Block Hut (IBH) has also been established between Makajipalli and Nagsamudram to enhance operational efficiency and increase line capacity.

A SWR official said the works required close coordination with South Central Railway, especially at Dharmavaram station, and with the CRS of both zones. A speed trial was conducted at 121 kmph, during which the Oscillation Monitoring System recorded no abnormal peaks. Based on the inspection and trial results, the CRS has authorised operations on the doubled section at a maximum speed of 110 kmph.