Title - Ludhiana track: 43 kms inspected in two days

The inspection of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana track continued for the second day on Sunday with a total of 43 kilometres of the track having been inspected in two days. Inspection of the track is being conducted by the officials of the Commission of Railways Safety.

The remaining eight kilometres of the Chandigarh-Ludhiana track will be inspected on Monday.

This will be followed by a speed trial.

The Chandigarh-Ludhiana track was constructed in three phases.

Two of the phases are already functional. In the first phase the 45 km track was completed between Chandigarh-Morinda.

The second phase was the 17 km stretch from Sahnewal to Ludhiana.

The 51 kilometre track between Morinda and Sahnewal was the only portion left that took several years to be completed.

It is this 51 km track that is being inspected. Over two days, 43 km has already been inspected.

Divisional Railways Manager, Ambala Division, P K Sanghi says, "Eight kilometres of the track remains to be inspected. Today the inspection was done on the portion from Khamano to Lall Kalan. The inspection will be completed by Monday. Thereafter a speed trial would be conducted."

Railways officials claim that no anomalies were found as the track was inspected. During the speed trial the engine attached to one or two coaches would be plied on the track to measure the oscillation.

It is only after the Commission for Railways Safety gives clearance, will the track be opened for trains to ply. Thereafter new trains will be started.

With the opening of the track, trains plying on the route will take between half an hour to 45 minutes less than the present travel time as the track takes a shorter route.