Trains to move faster at 45 kmph over Ganga bridge after overhaul

Lucknow: Almost after a century, the Northern Railway, Lucknow division, is all set to completely overhaul and replace the old rail track system of rail bridge to strengthen the structure, and augment the train speed from 10 kmph to 45 kmph and more over the Ganga connecting Lucknow with Kanpur.
For nearly six weeks, the railway will replace the steel truff sheet. Between March 20 to April 30, it will install 1,560 H-beam sleepers, which are able to handle high-speed train movement. According to railway records, the bridge on the Ganga was commissioned in 1875 for narrow gauge. However, the narrow gauge was replaced by installing steel truff sheet/girder on the bridge for UP line (Lucknow to Kanpur) in 1928 for meter gauge, while for DOWN line (Kanpur to Lucknow) in 1908.
"Around nine trains will be cancelled daily – mostly the passenger trains – while 17 trains will be diverted during the block period. The rest train operations on Lucknow-Kanpur rail track might be hit with delays upto three-hours, as only DOWN track would be used to operate the trains," said DRM NR Lucknow division, Sachindra Mohan Sharma.
The overhauling of the rail track on Ganga bridge was pending for several months, but due to Maha Kumbh Mela, the work was postponed.
He said, "Once the 800m-long UP rail track on Ganga bridge is augmented, the train operations will cruise over 45 kmph instead of current 10 kmph under caution."