Different states seem to be slowly waking up to the bullet train concept in India. Maharashtra and Gujarat have written to the railway ministry, expressing their keenness to involve themselves in the high-speed passenger corridor (HSPC) projects in the two states. Haryana has evinced keen interest in investing in the Delhi-Chandigarh project.

Disclosing this to Deccan Herald here on Friday, Railway Board Member (mechanical) R K Rao stated that the governments of the two western states had urged the railways to speed up the initial process of implementation of the high-cost projects.

Though they have been already making waves in Europe and East Asia, the bullet trains have not yet entered India, mainly because of the prohibitive cost involved and due to reluctance from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Planning Commission to support the project earlier. However, the need for such trains have now been felt with states clamouring for them.

Routes
According to Mr Rao, the two states want the HSPC on these routes: Mumbai-Ahmedabad via Surat, Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Nasik. When queried whether the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments had come forward to partner the IR in HSPC, he said they were likely to follow suit soon.

Recently, Railway Board Chairman J P Batra toured the southern states and met the chief ministers and chief secretaries, asking them to come forward to partner IR in the high-speed train project.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference on rail technology organised by Expoworld, Mr Rao said the railways would like  the private sector to take maximum advantage of the HSPC, as it would be implemented through public-private-partnership model.

The 500 km Mumbai-Ahmedabad route may be the first to get a bullet train, connecting the two capitals in two hours, when compared with the existing fastest train, Shatabdi Express, which takes five to six hours.   With regard to the Delhi-Chandigarh route, the Haryana government took part in a meeting with the top railway officials here in May, this year.

According to railway sources, the HSPC project involves laying special tracks which may cost up to Rs 45 crore per km. Thus, a 500 km-route may cost a whopping Rs 30,000 crore. It is likely that the railways will approach the Centre for viability gap funding.