Kannur: In a bid to accelerate the speed of trains to 130 kmph, the Railways are planning to straighten 288 curves on the Shoranur-Mangalore route spanning 307 kilometres within one year. A railway agency had carried out a survey to evaluate the count and condition of the curves and a tender was also invited for the works. 

As per reports, 81 curves on the 86 kilometre long Shoranur-Kozhikode reach have to be straightened. There are a total of 84 and 85 curves on the Kozhikode-Kannur (89 kilometres) and Kannur-Kasaragod (86 kilometres) routes respectively. In the 46 kilometre-long Kasaragod-Mangalore route, there are 38 curves. 

The straightening works on the Kasaragod-Mangalore tracks are to be completed within eight months and the rest within 12 months. 

In Kerala, the basic speed limit of trains including Vande Bharat Express is 100-110 kmph. At present, trains can run services in the Shoranur-Mangalore section at 110 kmph. 

The engineering department of the Railways had earlier submitted a report over the spots where trains are running at a speed below basic speed limit. 

As many as 53 routes in India are being upgraded under the Railway Ministry's B category to increase the train speeds to 130 kmph. It includes two routes in Kerala, namely Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode (400 km) and Kannur-Kozhikode (89 km). 

The upgradation involves signalling system, straightening of curves and track repair works among others.