Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 | Last Update : 11:53 AM IST
Bullet train project set to begin in 2018
The ambitious bullet (high-speed) train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will kick-start from 2018 after the conclusion of discussions at various levels between railway officials and representativ
The ambitious bullet (high-speed) train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will kick-start from 2018 after the conclusion of discussions at various levels between railway officials and representatives of Japan. While the initial cost was pegged at Rs 98,000 crores for the project, the government is now keen on an elevated corridor, which will add another Rs 10,000 crore to the overall project cost.
“We have covered a lot of grounds in the last three months, which involved discussions at various levels to get the project started. A joint working group which was constituted by the Prime Minister’s Office will be going to Japan for two days next month to hold further discussions on the loan negotiation,” said a senior official, adding that the government has now decided to go for an elevated corridor.
The Indian delegation will engage its Japanese counterparts in giving a major thrust to the “Make in India” initiative and also ensure larger involvement of Indian companies in the civil work of the project.
“The final location survey is now to be commissioned, which will examine the geological and hydrological aspects of the project. It will also look into the 21-km-long undersea tunnel portion of the project as well. The study will be fully funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency,” the official said.
The high-speed corridor project is being funded with a soft loan by Japan of Rs 80,000 crores, while the railways and the state governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra will share the remaining cost of Rs 20,000 crores.
Technical experts of the railways and Japan have also held discussions on the design and certification of the high-speed corridor project. “The Japanese experts have stated that the elevated corridor will be fenced and, unlike Delhi Metro, there could not be movement of vehicles underneath,” said the official.
It has also emerged that not more than 20 per cent of the project cost would be spent on direct procurement from Japan, which will mostly be on train sets.
