GUWAHATI: India’s first dedicated railway test track in Rajasthan is nearing completion, as it aims to transform the testing and safety standards for high-speed modern rail across the country. This facility, located in the Jodhpur Division between Gudha and Thathana Mithri in Didwana district, is projected to be fully operational by 2025.
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Stretching across 60 km and passing through the Sambhar Lake, the ₹820 crore test track offers a controlled environment for Indian Railways to perform rigorous testing on various rail vehicles, including bullet trains, high-speed trains, metro trains, and semi-high-speed trains. The facility provides bullet trains with the option to reach speeds up to 230 km/h.
The test track’s design features multiple curves to evaluate train stability and performance on different types of paths. These curves simulate realistic track conditions, with some sections specifically crafted for high-speed testing while others are suited for lower-speed trials. It also features specialised loops for different types of testing: a 13 km high-speed loop, a 3 km quick testing loop at Nawa station, and a 20 km curve testing loop in Mithadi.
Further, the infrastructure includes seven major bridges, 129 minor bridges, and four stations—Gudha, Jabdinagar, Nawa, and Mithadi.
Managed by the Research Design Standards Organization (RDSO), the track will assess different aspects such as speed, stability, accident resistance, and vibration impact. To date, 27 km of the track has been completed, with Phase 1 approved in December 2018 and Phase 2 in November 2021.