Agra: The fastest train to wheeze across the length and breadth of the Indian rail system would be operational in the Konkan stretch this year, with a speed touching 150 km per hour.

"Though we have tested the train speed at 180 km per hour, the obstacles such as level-crossings and movement of people on the tracks has prompted us to limit the speed at 150 km, increasing the safety factor," Railway Minister Nitish Kumar told reporters.

The trial runs include acutely monitoring the velocity speed per hour on the lines at Konkan besides checking the angular deviation count, he said.

It will be higher than the speed of over 100 km at which the Rajdhani and the Shatabi Express presently run, the minister said.

The training for manning the high-speed trains has been possible due to the induction of simulators and other computerised equipments that has helped the Railways to give a push to the modernisation process, the minister, who was here in connection with the operation of the new Agra division of Railways, said.

Kumar said the use of global positioning system (GPS) that enables the trains to strike connectivity when they near each other will prevent accidents and the first phase of this anti-collusion device is being inducted in the South Central Railways.

After completing the survey for installation of the system in 1,800 km of track route during the last financial year, the railways plan to cover another 10,000 km of track during the current financial year, the minister said.

PTI