The Government of India has approved the addition of third and fourth rail lines on the 32 km Badlapur–Karjat stretch in Maharashtra. This initiative extends the Mumbai Suburban Corridor and strengthens a vital segment of the 1,238-km Mumbai–Chennai High Density Network (HDN). This corridor is one of the most congested in India, linking Mumbai to Chennai via key cities such as Pune, Solapur, Guntakal, and Arakkonam.
This decision is part of the Indian Railways’ comprehensive strategy to decongest all seven High Density Network corridors, which represent merely 16% of the total rail network yet handle 41% of all rail traffic. With the rising demand for passenger and freight services, enhancing the HDN is crucial for ensuring efficient railway operations.
The High Density Network (HDN) consists of passenger-freight corridors operating beyond their optimal capacity. Currently, the HDN encompasses 11,051 route-km out of the 69,181 route-km of Indian Railways, accounting for approximately 15.97% of the network. These corridors are divided into 237 sections, each exhibiting different utilization levels.
Ideally, a rail network operates efficiently at 70–80% capacity. In contrast, the HDN is significantly overloaded. Only 4.60% of HDN routes function below 80% capacity, while:
This situation highlights that approximately 95% of the HDN operates above optimal thresholds, resulting in inevitable delays and bottlenecks.
Consider the 28-km Karjat–Lonavala section, which is part of the Mumbai–Chennai HDN. This stretch sees 67 trains operating each way daily, while the maximum capacity is only 40 trains. This leads to an astonishing 167% capacity utilization, illustrating the severe strain on the network.
The National Rail Plan (2051 vision document) indicates that:
In stark contrast, the HDN is critically overloaded, emphasizing the urgent need for expansion and decongestion efforts.
The National Rail Plan warns that without significant upgrades, congestion in the HDN is expected to worsen. By 2051, no section will operate below 100% capacity utilization, with 92% projected to exceed 150%, which is unsafe and inefficient.
To alleviate congestion, line expansion—such as doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling lines—remains the primary focus. Indian Railways has made considerable progress in capacity expansion, completing:
Despite these efforts, a substantial expansion remains necessary to address the growing congestion levels in the HDN.
The Eastern DFC, which is fully operational, along with the nearly completed Western DFC, will help divert freight traffic away from the HDN, thereby freeing up capacity for passenger trains. This approach is critical for reducing the burden on HDN.
Q1. What is the purpose of expanding the High Density Network?
Answer: The expansion aims to alleviate congestion in heavily utilized rail corridors, improving efficiency and capacity for both passenger and freight services.
Q2. How much of the Indian Railways network is classified as High Density Network?
Answer: The High Density Network constitutes approximately 15.97% of the total Indian Railways network, yet it carries 41% of rail traffic.
Q3. What is the ideal operational capacity for rail networks?
Answer: Rail networks ideally operate at a capacity of 70–80% for smooth and efficient operations. Anything beyond this can lead to delays.
Q4. What are Dedicated Freight Corridors?
Answer: Dedicated Freight Corridors are specialized railway lines designed to facilitate the movement of freight, thereby reducing the load on conventional passenger lines.
Q5. What are the future projections for HDN congestion?
Answer: By 2051, it is projected that 92% of the HDN will exceed 150% utilization, highlighting the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades.
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