Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that all clearances have been given for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train in the state. The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed corridor is being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 trillion.
The train will run through 12 stations in Maharashtra and Gujarat – Surat, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, Sabarmati, Bilimora, Bharuch, Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi stations – and will cover the distance in just about two hours. The station in Surat will be India’s first to be ready between the Ahmedabad – Mumbai Bullet Train route (MAHSR).
The state government’s announcement comes after several reports indicated that the change of government in Maharashtra may fast track the bullet train project with railway officials expecting a land acquisition file stuck on the state’s chief minister’s desk to move now, a petrol pump to be shifted to build a tunnel, and a back-and-forth over payment for a “prime land” settled.
Last month, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had pointed out that the fare of bullet train will be kept at par with First AC train. He, however, said that no final decision has been taken yet on the fare, but it will be within the reach of the people.
Bullet train fare
For this, the reference of First AC is being made, so if bullet train fare is based on that then it is not very much, the minister said. Vaishnaw further said the fare will be less than the what one pays for flight and the facilities will be good. Finally, the actual fare would be fixed after the completion of the project, he clarified.
At present, the First AC fare between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is somewhere between Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,400, depending on trains. India’s bullet train will run on Japanese Shinkansen Technology, widely known for its reliability and safety features.
Bullet train speed
The ambitious Ahmedabad – Mumbai Bullet Train will have a Maximum Design Speed of 350 km per hour with a Maximum Operating speed of 320 km per hour.
Around 5 years back in September 2017, PM Narendra Modi along with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe had laid the foundation stone for the Rs 1.1 lakh crore project at Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. The first phase of the awaited train project will commence by 2026 between Surat and Bilimora.
India’s first Bullet Train project will be implemented by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which recently sealed a deal Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) for design as well as the construction of about 8 Kilometre long viaduct.
