PM’s visit to Japan to fast-track India’s High-Speed Train project, other deals

PM’s visit to Japan to fast-track India’s High-Speed Train project, other deals

New Delhi:  Ahead of the Prime Minister’s Japan visit, railways is stepping up efforts to finalise Narendra Modi’s pet project of running bullet trains on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor amid expectation that a way forward is likely to materialise during the high profile visit.

The bullet train is expected to run at a speed of 300 km per hour on the 534-km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.

Japan is cooperating with India in implementation of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and involved in a study on the proposed high speed rail corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Currently Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), a Japan-based firm for the Metro-Link Express, and French railway are involved in the feasibility study of the Rs 62,000-crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

Though Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar declined to comment about the possibility of any agreement on Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed corridor to be signed between India and Japan during PM’s visit from August 30, he indicated that the transporter has fast-tracked work on the prestigious project.

On the progress of the bullet train project, Kumar said, “JICA has already submitted the preliminary report last month and the second report with more details is expected anytime now. Then the third and final report will be submitted by June 15.”

While the French report will mainly focus on business development model of the project, JICA study will cover the entire gamut including alignment, scheduling, tariff, technology, traffic, funding pattern, environment and social impact, passenger profile, number of stations etc.

JICA’s first report was discussed in detail at the Board and now we are awaiting the next report, CRB said.

The rail budget has allocated Rs 100 crore for the preparatory work for the bullet train project. The allocated fund will be utilised for skill development in high speed train and studies on the proposed diamond quadrilateral project, he said.