South Western Railway begins Vande Bharat safety trials in critical Western Ghat Section

South Western Railway began field trials of an automatic emergency brake-fitted Vande Bharat rake on the challenging Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section. The tests will assess braking, acceleration, stability and other operational parameters, potentially paving the way for a Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat service

Mangaluru: South Western Railway’s Mysuru Division on Wednesday commenced field trials of an automatic emergency brake-fitted Vande Bharat Express rake on the challenging Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat section, officials said.

This is a key step towards assessing the feasibility of operating the semi-high-speed train on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route, they said.

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According to officials, the 20-car rake, specially manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, had arrived in Mysuru last week.

Following static trials conducted at Mysuru on Tuesday, the rake was moved to Sakleshpur the same night for the field tests.

Speaking to PTI, Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager Mudit Mittal said, “The trials began early Wednesday morning, with personnel from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) on board to examine various technical and operational parameters, Mysuru Divisional Railway Manager Mudit Mitral said. The trials were scheduled to continue until the afternoon on Wednesday”

The ghat section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road is among the most technically demanding stretches on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru railway line, involving steep gradients, sharp curves, tunnels and bridges. The section passes through the Western Ghats and has traditionally posed operational challenges for trains, particularly in maintaining speed, braking and safe movement on the gradients.

“Trials will continue in this critical section for a few more days in conditions of the Ghat section, including braking, acceleration, stability and other operational parameters. The automatic emergency braking system is also being evaluated as part of the exercise,” Mittal said.

Officials noted that the Bengaluru-Mangaluru railway line traverses the Western Ghats through the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road section, which was originally built as a metre-gauge line and later converted to broad gauge.

They said this line is an important rail link between the state capital and the coastal region and handles both passenger and freight traffic.

The Railway officials said that the successful completion of the trials and necessary safety clearances would pave the way for the possible introduction of a Vande Bharat Express service between Bengaluru and Mangaluru.

The proposed service is expected to provide faster rail connectivity between the state capital and the coastal city, while also improving connectivity for passengers travelling to and from important towns along the route.

The field trials are being conducted as part of the railway’s process of establishing the suitability of the Vande Bharat rake for operation on the route before any decision on regular service is taken, officials added.