On June 19th, at the regular press conference, JR West(Osaka, Japan) announced that the company would improve Nara Line such as constructing 14km of double track on Nara Line.
All of the line between Kyoto and Joyo(20.2km), which occupies more than 60% of whole Nara Line will be double track after double tracking of the following sections
・JR Fujinomori〜Uji(9.9km)
・Shin-den〜Joyo(2.1km)
・Yamashiro-Taga〜Tamamizu(2.0km)
The double tracking will be completed 10 years later to shorten delay time when trains are delayed.
With the double tracking, new detection devices of crossings and new systems of controlling an alert time will be installed to shorten the alarm time.
In addition to it, expansion of platforms and constructing of pedestrian decks to access the exit will be carried out in Kyoto station. In Rokujizo station, relocation and expansion of the platform will be carried out.
Nara Line is an electrified rail line consisting of 34.7km, which was electrified in 1984, which began operation of rapid trains in 1991, whose 8.4km section became double track. And then, the line has been improved several times.
According to the reports by JR West, passengers of the line per day was dramatically increased from 20000 in 1990 to 52000 in 2011.
I got the reason why train services were decreased on Kintetsu Kyoto Line, which runs in parallel with Nara Line.
