Government of India stands ready to bring a revolution in the Railway Industry with several proposed, approved & under-construction high-speed rail projects. In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for the first Indian bullet train project connecting Mumbai with Ahmadabad. Below are some of the project highlights:
The 508 km long Mumbai-Ahmadabad high-speed rail corridor is supported by Japan
The project’s estimated cost is INR 1,10,000 crores
National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) is the implementing agency for the project
Leading railways infrastructure consultancy service providers from Japan & India have been hired to provide Project Management Consultancy Services for civil construction
The technical bids for the construction of bridges for the Mumbai-Ahmadabad HSR Corridor are now open
Though these bullet trains will be a significant milestone in the tech journey of Indian Railways, there are many discussions happening around the feasibility & sustainability of these high-speed rails. Let us discuss some of the pros & cons of bullet train adoption in India.
Advantages
High-Speed Rails run at a tremendous speed which makes them best suited for metro cities like Mumbai. The commuters would get an upgraded & alternative mode of transport and congestions on roads would significantly decrease.
Bullet trains would facilitate smooth & accelerated travel between towns and cities, thus leading to reduced migration & population movement.
NHSRCL has announced to adopt the same technology used in Japan's E5 Shinkansen series, which has an excellent track record in terms of safety with zero fatalities till date.
High-Speed rails are proven to be environment-friendly in two effective ways – neither do they require deforestation to build tracks, nor do they emit as much CO2 as automobiles & airplanes do.
Bullet trains would serve as a remarkable contributor to the country’s infrastructure, thereby boosting economic growth and generating massive employment opportunities.
Disadvantages
The estimated cost for laying a 1 km high-speed rail corridor is around 100 crores, exclusive of the operation & maintenance expenses. Such high construction & maintenance cost is one the biggest challenges that lie ahead for the government.
Given the high costs involved in the construction & maintenance of high-speed rails, the fares are estimated to reach up to Rs 5000. Such exorbitant travel charges are not affordable to everyone. In such a case, only the rich population can accommodate the concept of bullet trains.
The foundation stone for India’s first-ever bullet train project was laid almost four years back. However, the project is still in its planning stage. With such slow progress, meeting the project completion deadline of 2023 is uncertain.
Land Acquisition is another bane for the completion of bullet train projects. For instance, the railway minister has recently announced a revision in the completion schedule of the Mumbai-Ahmadabad bullet train project due to land acquisition delay in Maharashtra.
Considering the positives, it can be predicted that an advanced & exciting future awaits the Indian Railways. Moreover, this ambitious initiative of the government is highly appreciable.
However, having said that, the government must take a proactive approach to the development, sustainability & equal accessibility of these high-speed rails, and strive to overcome all challenges with proper planning & implementation strategies.