TBM Staff - Mumbai
The Central Railway (CR) is planning a new rail alignment between Pune and Mumbai to bypass the challenging terrain of the existing route, including the steep ghats. This proposal, which has recently received preliminary approval from the Railway Board, aims to replace the difficult ghat section with multiple tunnels. The new alignment represents a significant advancement in Indian railway infrastructure, as it seeks to streamline travel between the two cities by avoiding the current route’s obstacles.
The proposed alignment, known as the ‘Sreedharan grade’ after E Sreedharan, a key figure in transforming public transport in India, will feature a gentler 1:100 gradient. Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who inspected the ghat section in July, emphasised the importance of expediting the project, noting the difficulties of the current alignment and the necessity of banker locomotives to navigate the steep terrain.
Officials anticipate that the new route will enhance travel efficiency between Mumbai and Pune, potentially saving commuters 10 to 20 minutes per journey. Additionally, the more manageable gradient will eliminate the need for banker locomotives, which are currently essential for negotiating the steep gradients of Bhor and Thal ghats. Although the alignment plan is still in its early stages, its completion promises to improve connectivity and increase the number of trains operating on this busy stretch.
Currently, only the Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat and Mumbai Rajdhani Express trains can traverse the ghats without banker locomotives. The new alignment, stretching from Karjat to Talegaon, will add a 20 km detour but is expected to be faster overall due to the removal of time-consuming processes such as attaching and detaching banker locomotives.
