THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first phase of the works to replace the existing tracks and lay new ones under is progressing from Kochuveli to Pettah with the aim of renovating the tracks so that trains could attain a speed of 160 km per hour in coming years.

Rail tracks from Chhattisgarh's Bhilai Steel Plant were brought to Pettah on Wednesday. The present track is built with 52 gauge iron rails and these are not enough if the trains need to attain high speed. A new 50-meter long 60 gauge iron rail was brought from Bhilai for the purpose.

A company called Shanta Constructions of Chennai has been awarded the contract for changing the rails. In the coming days, the train timings will be adjusted and the track replacement work will begin. The supervising officer said it would take several months to complete the work.

In an open freight train, rails were stacked in rows of specially prepared stands. Both rails were then simultaneously deposited on the track through a special square chamber set up on either side of the rear of the train. The rails were laid in a thick chain, one behind the other. The new tracks then were laid two feet apart from the existing tracks.

The new tracks reaching the capital city gifted an amusing sight for locals. The workers lifted the rails by chanting ‘Eailasa Eailasa’ which was captured on mobile phones by people present in the station.