Project Unigauge is an ongoing exercise by Indian Railways to standardise most of the rail gauges in India at 1676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge.
India currently has significant lengths of four different gauges: the 1,676mm broad gauge which is wider than the 1,435mm standard gauge which accounts for the majority of the world's railway track miles, but is not used in India; the 1,000mm metre gauge; and two narrow gauges 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) and 610 mm (2 ft) . The total length of track used by Indian Railways was about 114,000 km (71,000 mi) while the total route length of the network was 64,500 km (40,100 mi) in 2011.[1]
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It was observed for a long time that towns and cities on the metre (MG) and narrow gauge (NG) lines had a poorer service than equivalent towns on the broad gauge system, the speed of trains was slower and the freight traffic (ton per kilometre) on metre gauge tracks was only a small fraction of the freight traffic on broad gauge tracks. It was decided that conversion of metre and narrow gauge railway lines to broad gauge would make Indian Railways more efficient, avoid the current break of gauges, increase the freight-carrying capacity and shorten the routes with many regauged links.
Some sporadic conversion of metre gauge railway tracks to broad gauge such as Bangalore-Gooty and Pune-Miraj had taken place in the years 1971-90 but metre gauge railway tracks (such as Mangalore-Hassan through Western Ghats for Kudremukh iron ore project) continued to be laid in that period on cost considerations.
Project Unigauge started in 1990-91 in earnest. The first routes taken for conversion of gauge were Jaipur-Sawai Madhopur, Delhi-Rewari, Mahesana-Viramgam and Chhapra-Aunrihar.
On 31 March 2011, 102,000 km of track length (90% of entire track length of all the gauges) and 54,600 km of route-kilometre (85% of entire route-kilometre of all the gauges) was broad gauge; 9,000 km of track length (7.9% of entire track length of all the gauges) and 7,500 km of route-kilometre (11.6% of entire route-kilometre of all the gauges) was metre gauge and 2,400 route-kilometre (3% of entire route-kilometre of all the gauges) was of the narrow gauges.[1]
As a result of Project Unigauge, the share of broad gauge in the total route-kilometre has been steadily rising, increasing from 47% (25,258 route-km) in 1951 to 85% (more than 54,600 route-km) in 2011 whereas the share of metre gauge has declined from 45% (24,185 route-km) to less than 12% (7,500 route-km) in the same period and the share of narrow gauges has decreased from 8% to 3% (less than 2,400 route-km) in 2011.
Some narrow gauge tracks on which heritage trains run in hilly regions will not be converted. These are Simla Kalka-Shimla Railway, Darjeeling Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Ooty Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Kangra Kangra Valley Railway and Matheran Hill Railway.
India has converted its metre gauge lines into broad gauge up to its border with Nepal. Narrow gauge railway lines that extend for a short length from India into Nepal (Raxaul-Amlekhagunj and Jayanagar-Janakpuur-Bijalpura) need conversion by Nepal Railways to avoid transhipment. India has offered to do the conversion.
Undertaking project Unigauge requires more than just changing the spacing between the rails. Existing railway ties may be too short and have to be replaced, even though they may not be life expired. Bogies on rolling stock would have to be replaced to fit the new gauge. Since the width of the previous passenger carriages are narrower than broad gauge ones, the gap between the platform and carriage may cause problems. Either the gap may be too large and thus unsafe, or broad gauge rolling stock is likely to hit the old platforms. Narrow tunnels and bridge of the old metre gauge may need to be widened and raised for broad gauge.
However, eliminating breaks of gauge improves rolling stock utilisation and therefore saves on the quantity of rolling stock required, particularly where there are tidal or seasonal traffic. Excess metre gauge rolling stock, much of it modern and in good condition, has a ready second-hand market in many other metre gauge railways around the world. Second-hand stock may also be cascaded to cape gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) lines such as in Mozambique. On the downside, vacuum brakes may need to be converted to air brakes.
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