Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train may soon become reality

[Roybot]

how many countries have bullet train in world?

France
Germany
Japan
Korea
China
Spain

and others???

Pretty much all Euro countries.

Also Taiwan, Russia, Saudi Arabia(under construction), Turkey, South Africa, Morocco(under construction).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_by_country

 

[Sashan]

Lets see if this becomes affordable for everyone in India.....
IMO, i see it as a business class transportation only for the elites...

These trains will be direct competitors to flights. Whoever can afford to pay for flights will use these trains and as middle class population continue to grow in India, flights alone can't meet the needs for travel.

 

[Roybot]

You are right to some extent, however, this is India we are talking here, one of the poorest countries in the world and still recognized as a '3rd world country'. The question is if a Bulllet train can carry 1000-3000 passengers, how many rich guys are out there ? If they cannot fill the gap, then they will be automatically in loss.

You have no idea just how many rich guys are in between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Thats why they are picking certain corridors, "rich corridors". This is not like you make the railway and then go oh damn it we don't have passengers.

You do feasibility, pre feasibility studies and if found economically viable then you go for the construction.

 

[OrionHunter]

So, can this so called bullet train be ready by the year of our Lord...hmmm...2345 at least? I've got my doubts!! That's being pretty optimistic, what?

 

[Roybot]

So, can this so called bullet train be ready by the year of our Lord...hmmm...2345 at least? I've got my doubts!! That's being pretty optimistic, what?

Apparently the target is 6 corridors by 2020. Bit optimistic by Indian standards, but you never know, they might be able to pull off another "delhi metro".

The six rail corridors that are under study by the Government are:
Pune- Mumbai- Ahmedabad, completed by Systra, Italferr and RITES)
Delhi- Chandigarh – Amritsar
Delhi – Agra-Luknow-Varanasi-Patna, Mott MacDonald (UK)
Haldia – Howrah route completed by Ineco along with Prointec and Ayesa
Hyderabad – Dornakal – Vijayawada – Chennai, JARTS with Parsons Brinckerhoff India
Chennai -Bangalore – Coimbatore – Ernakulam.

 

[Sashan]

@cb4 - Another reason for these high speed trains is that they cut down the consumption of petrol and diesel as these will rely on electricity - India would need less flights or decrease the dependency on flights - one of the major reasons Japan went in for these trains. Also with the carbon emission limits being placed on various countries, these are eco-friendly modes of transportation.

 

[ashok321]

You need new tracks, all straight, no curves, existing tracks wont work....

 

[SpArK]

 

[Edevelop]

Turkey is also working on high speed rail.

 

[Sashan]

You need new tracks, all straight, no curves, existing tracks wont work....

Existing tracks will not work but it need not be all straight. There are tilting technologies like what Acela express in US uses(though the high speed trains in US is a joke when compared to other countries) to lower centrifugal forces in sharp curves to reduce inconvenience to passengers.

Turkey is also working on high speed rail.

Turkey is working on the high speed trains and that is the reason I have to rely on bus or car travel when I go to Turkey in September. They have closed the Istanbul Haydarpasa railway terminus - the main station for the high speed train works.

 

[OrionHunter]

Chennai -Bangalore – Coimbatore – Ernakulam.

Wow! A Chennai -Bangalore – Coimbatore Bullet Train? I'd love to see that!

 

[Sashan]

Wow! A Chennai -Bangalore – Coimbatore Bullet Train? I'd love to see that!

My take is the second line the GOI need to lay out is this line as corridor is one of the fastest growing corridor economically.

 

[Roybot]

Kolkata-Haldia is there just because of Mamta Didi Doubt that will ever materialise.

 

[shelly]

I think this is a waste for countries like india and china.
apparently delhi mumbai will cost $32 billion to build a tgv service that includes cost of acquiring fresh land not to mention env costs and displacing people. the journey can be done in 4 hours (exacly like beiking-shanghai).
However upgrading existing track to superfast (175-200kmph) will cost only $1 Billion and the same journey can be done in 7 hours. I would go for the latter.

 

[Baby Leone]

hmm good for india,

BTW how the hell it is related to world affairs..?