Govt study to set up bullet train network in cities

Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi on Friday informed the Rajya Sabha that a detailed study is being conducted to assess the feasibility of setting up bullet train network in other parts of the country.

At present, the Centre has sanctioned Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Train project, also known as bullet train project, of 508 km length.

It is targeted to be completed in 2023. Once current project is successful, the Centre can think of launching it on routes like Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Mumbai and other cities, he said during the Question Hour.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Train Project is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 1,08,000 crore by a special purpose vehicle National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) with the financial and technical assistance from Japan.

About Rs 3,226.8 crore expenditure has been incurred up to June 2019 on the project.

Responding to supplementary questions, Angadi said that the current high speed project is viable as an average 36,000 people will travel and the minimum fare is expected to be Rs 3,000.

On land acquisition issues, the minister said, "In Gujarat, 297 villages are coming on this line. More than 97% farmers in Gujarat have given consent. Only in some patches of Maharashtra area, there is some problem.”

Since the bullet train will run on an elevated track, which will minimise the impact on environment and ecology. To ensure minimum impact on mangroves, the project involves a tunnel of 21 km including seven km under sea tunnel. Further, five times plantation of mangroves will be undertaken, he added.