Date:26/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/26/stories/2006022605141100.htm

National

New all-India Railway timetable soon

Special Correspondent

To reflect latest increase in the speed of trains and reduction of travel time

NEW DELHI: The Railways will shortly introduce a new all-India timetable reflecting the latest increase in the speed and reduction in travel time of popular passenger trains introduced in the Budget for 2006-07.

This announcement was part of the Budget speech of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad who referred to the members' repeated request to increase the speed and reduce the travel time of popular passenger trains.

"The benefit of modern rolling stock, signalling and track structure, increasing the speed of passenger trains, however, have yet not been fully reflected in the existing timetable," he said, adding that that the first all-India timetable was published in 1866 by the "Bradshaw Company."

"Hence, I had decided to re-work this all-India railway timetable de novo, that is, with zero base in the current year," Mr. Prasad said. The work in this regard was proceeding with high priority and computerised simulation techniques were being employed. Efforts were also being made to reduce the travel time of New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express in two phases, by one hour in each, so that Howrah Rajdhani Express departs after office hours and reaches Howrah before office time.

Similar efforts were being made to reduce the travel time of all Rajdhani Expresses, including New Delhi-Patna Rajdhani, he said.