India's First High-Speed Rail Test Track Under Construction in Rajasthan

Railway News: Rajasthan is building India's first high-speed railway test track. It is expected to be completed by December. Trains will run at a speed of 220 km per hour on this railway track. Regular passenger trains and goods wagons will also be tested. Read the full story.

India's first high-speed railway test track, currently under construction on the Jaipur-Jodhpur rail route, is slated for completion by December this year. This 64-kilometre track will be used to test high-speed trains, as well as regular and goods wagons. The track's design is inspired by railway tracks in the USA, Australia, and Japan.

Track is Being Built Between Gudha-Thathana-Meethdi

This track is being constructed near Sambhar, between Gudha-Thathana-Meethdi, to meet the technical requirements of the Indian Railways. With a cost of ₹967 crore, the track will allow trains to run at speeds of up to 220 km per hour. The project, divided into four phases, is nearing completion, with almost all work finished.

2.5 km of Track Laying Remains in Sambhar Lake

The project involved laying 19.8 km in Phase One, 15 km in Phase Two, 2.7 km in Phase Three, and 26.06 km in Phase Four. Currently, 2.5 km of track laying remains in Sambhar Lake, which is expected to be completed soon. The work of raising the height of four large bridges and 43 culverts is almost complete. Railway officials say this high-speed test track will be a game-changer for the railways.

Main Lines Will Remain Uninterrupted

Railway officials say that the construction of the high-speed test track will prevent the disruption of main railway lines for testing new trains and freight trains. This will not affect the movement of passenger trains, and trials can be conducted more efficiently at high speeds. Gudha-Thathana-Meethdi was chosen for this track primarily because the area is sparsely populated. A metre gauge line already existed there, and significant railway land was already available. This reduced the need to acquire more land from the state government. Modern laboratories, residential facilities, and workshops are also being built in the area.