India's first bullet train ? -Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor

it is one lakh crore rupees project ?

• in the month of September 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation of India’s first Bullet train project. These trains are called bullet trains because of their appearance and speed. A bullet train is generally a high speed train that can cover a distance of 250 km per hour. This train will run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad covering a distance of 500 km in just 3 hours. Currently the time taken to cover this distance is approximately 7 hours. This train will reduce the travel time by 4 hours. There will be a total of 12 stations where the train will halt. The train corridor runs from Bandra-KurlaComplex (BKC) to Sabarmati railway station Ahmedabad. These trains will take a total of 70 trips each day, 35 in each direction.

• The train will have 10 coaches out of which one coach will be business class and other nine coaches will be standard. The business coaches are said to have amenities like leg rest, space for luggage,refrigerators, water heaters, tea and coffee maker etc. There will be separate washrooms for men, women and differently abled people, separate coaches for feeding mothers or sick people. The train has been designed keeping in mind all the needs of the passengers and luxurious travel amenities have been incorporated in the business class to match international standards.

• This project is being built with the help of Japan. Currently India does not have the indigenous high speed rail technology that is required to build this project. Japan is providing this technology to India.

• The running of bullet train in India has a lot advantages. With increasing traffic, an alternate mode of transport will reduce the crowd on the roads, hence reducing traffic. Bullet trains will considerably reduce travel time. Less time taken to travel will boost business. People will not have to migrate to larger cities as the time taken to travel will be considerably manageable, thus reducing migration from smaller cities to larger cities. Bullet trains are much safer as compared to the normal trains and hence safety which is a major concern when it comes to Indian railways is also addressed. The Japanese Shinkansen trains, which are bullet trains in Japan, started running in 1964. Since then there have zero cases of fatalities. The project will be earthquake and fire resistant. Sensors will be installed for motion detection. Running of bullet train helps in infrastructure development, thereby creating huge employment opportunities and leading to economic growth.

• The bullet train project is an expensive affair and is estimated to cost around one lakh crore rupees. The cost may increase due to future fluctuations and inflation. The project is 81% financed by Japan at an interest rate of 0.01% for 50 years. These numbers may look considerably low, but the Japanese Yen is projected to appreciate over a period of time in comparison to the Indian rupee, which might question the viability of the loan. It is also estimated that in order to make this project economically viable, the fares may range anywhere between Rs4000- Rs7000. These fares can easily be compared to air fares and can be afforded only by the rich class. This again raises the question if this project be of any benefit to the middle and lower economic sections of the society.

• There have been arguments against the bullet train project since the condition of the Indian Railway System needs attention. Some are of the view that there is a greater need of investment in the current railway infrastructure in order to improve and strengthen it. Investment in a project that caters to just upper economic sections is not a viable choice at this point.

Facts

• The train will have a capacity for 750 passengers.

• There will be 7 km stretch that will be under the sea.

• 825 hectares of land is required to build this project.

• The second bullet train project will start after the completion of this project which will connect Delhi to Amritsar via Chandigarh.

Conclusion :

•  Although the current railway system needs attention, the need of better infrastructure and amenities can also not be denied. As India is now the world’s fastest growing economy, it is important to take steps in the direction of building of a world class infrastructure. Necessary steps should be taken in both the directions.