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India begins work on bullet train before America, Modi lauded

Prime Minister Narendra Modi does what he preaches as is evident today when he, and his counterpart from Japan Shinzo Abe laid the foundation for the country’s first high speed train project.

Prime Minister Modi described the bullet train as “symbol of New India” and stressed that the country must focus on creating high speed connectivity infrastructure as the transport is the future.

According to the details of the project, the Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail will be passing through two states, Maharashtra 155.642 kms and Gujarat 350.530 kms and one Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli 2 kms. The double track project involves 21 km tunnel with seven km under sea tunnel at Thane Creek in Mumbai.

There will be 12 stations starting from underground station in Mumbai while remaining stations at Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati will be elevated.

As part of the project, a dedicated High Speed Rail Training Institute is being developed in Vadodara and will become functional by end of 2020. Around 4000 staff members will be trained in this institute and they will be responsible for operation and maintenance of the ambitious project, which will usher in the new era of high speed railways in the country.

The 508 km long project to be built with estimated investment of ? 1,08,000 crore will be funded up to 81 per cent by Japan with soft loan of ? 88,000 crore at interest rate of 0.1 per cent with repayment period of 50 years. The release stated that the project testing and commissioning date has been advanced from December 2023 to August 2022.

“I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the Bullet Train when I come to India in a few years,” Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said while addressing the gathering near Sabarmati Railway station in Ahmedabad.

India is reviewing prospects for at least six more potential bullet-train corridors, including one that would connect Mumbai to New Delhi, although no decision has been taken. India has said it is in talks with Japan and other countries for those projects. 

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