In a good news for commuters between Pune and Mumbai, train travel time is expected to reduce by 20-30 minutes soon.
According to a report by the Indian Express, Central Railway is surveying to plan a lower-gradient alternative rail route to the current Pune-Mumbai connection through the steep Bhor Ghat.
“The survey began about five months ago. It’s an extensive survey aimed at determining alternate routes that will make the ghat section alignment less steep. The current alignment between Mumbai and Pune in the ghat section has a steep gradient of 1.37. The aim of the project is to reduce the gradient to 1.100,” said Swapnil Neela, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.
Neela mentioned that the reduced gradient will decrease the need for banker locomotives when manoeuvring trains through the ghat’s steep slopes. “Passenger trains may no longer require banker locomotives due to the reduced slope. They might still be needed for goods trains," he added.
According to Neela, the new route will be longer than the current alignment but won’t require additional engine strength to manoeuvre trains. He added that it may still result in shorter travel times compared to the current route.
