IR launches Mission Raftaar

IR has launched Mission Raftaar on the busiest Ghaziabad-Allahabad-Mughalsarai route, and has taken it up on a priority basis for increasing the average speed. Loco-hauled commuter trains were replaced with mainline electric multiple unit (MEMU) and diesel electric multiple unit (DEMU) trains. This section does not operate conventional trains any longer. The other routes being targeted under the mission are Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Howrah, Howrah-Chennai, Chennai-Mumbai, Delhi-Chennai and Howrah-Mumbai (Diamond Quadrilateral routes along with diagonals), which carry 58 per cent of the freight traffic and 52 per cent of the coaching traffic, with a share of only 15 per cent in the total network. For these six routes, 1,048 MEMU coaches and 136 DEMU coaches will be required.