Mysuru: Come August 15, the speed of some trains that run between Mysuru and Bengaluru will increase, thereby decreasing the travel time from 5 minutes to 20 minutes.

By speeding up these trains, the journey time between Mysuru and Bengaluru will be reduced to less than 2 hours and 30 minutes. At present, it takes almost three hours for an Express train to reach Bengaluru from Mysuru.

Works on track changing to facilitate the increase in speed is going on in full swing and 80 percent of the works have been completed.

A senior Railway official told Star of Mysore this morning that the track changing work was underway in a war-footing and today, the works were on at Pandavapura section. “We are doing the project in such a way that the regular train travel is not disrupted,” he said.

The official said that at present, 52 kilograms of steel is used for one metre of the railway track. This is being changed to 60 kilograms per metre. “The new track is capable of withstanding more weight and has a lot of grip to support a train even in great speed. Train derailment on such tracks is rare as there is a firm grip while the train is in motion,” he added.

Loads of new tracks have already arrived on the Mysuru-Bengaluru stretch and the works are on, on the Mysuru-Pandavapura stretch. The old tracks are being replaced in a mechanised way with less scope for human intervention, the official said.

The tracks are being laid with the help of two Plasser Quick Relaying System (PQRS) machines. PQRS is a process wherein old rail along with sleepers is removed and is replaced by a completely new rail panel with the help of Track Laying Equipment.

Meanwhile, the Railways have issued a press release that has said that timings of certain trains will be revised from Aug. 15 as they will run in increased speed.

As per the revised time table, Train No. 16232 Mysuru-Mayiladuturai Express will depart from Mysuru Railway Station at 4.15 pm instead of 3.30 pm and arrive in Bengaluru at 6.45 pm instead of 6.20 pm.  The journey time has been cut by 20 minutes.

Train No. 16023 Mysuru-Yesvantpur Express will leave Mysuru at 8.25 am instead of 8.20 pm, and arrive in Bengaluru at 10.55 am instead of 11.05 am, with the duration of the journey reduced by 15 minutes. Train No. 16217 Mysuru-Sainagar Shirdi will depart from Mysuru at 5.30 am instead of 5.10 am and reach Bengaluru at 8 am instead of 8.20 am, with the running time reduced by 15 minutes.

However, there is no change in the departure timing of Train No. 16518/ 16524 Kannur-Karwar Express. The train will leave Mysuru at 5.30 am (present time). Its running time has been reduced by 20 minutes and the train will reach Bengaluru at 8 am instead of 8.20 am.

In the return direction, there is no change in the departure timings of the corresponding service of the trains but they will reach Mysuru early by 5 minutes to 20 minutes.

There will be no change in train number, stoppages and zonal interchange timings. The detailed stoppage timings will be as per new the time table which will come in to effect on Aug 15.