Reviewer21
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2014
- Messages
- 1,593
- Reaction score
- -1
- Country
- Location
NEW DELHI: Bullet trains may no longer be a distant dream as railways is geared up to execute the big-ticket project and is awaiting a new government to take over after May 16.
A top railway official said cost of high speed train travel could be brought down in the country because of economy of scale and indigenization.
"We are waiting for a new government to take a call on high speed trains. However, the company is geared up to implement the project," Satish Agnihotri, CMD, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) and chairman of the High Speed Rail Corporation (HSRC) told TOI.
The corporation is working on a project to raise the speed on Delhi-Agra section to 160 kmph and bring down the journey time from 130 minutes to less than 100 minutes while ensuring superior ride quality. "The project is expected to be ready by end of October," Agnihotri said.
As the next step, the corporation has planned to accelerate upgrading of speed potential on other sections, as well as launch a project to upgrade the speed potential to 200 kmph by applying the knowledge and experience gained from the Delhi-Agra project.
Considering the massive cost of running bullet trains, railways has decided to move step-by-step, by taking up the task of upgrading speeds of existing trains to 160-200 kmph.
Agnihotri said railway board chairman Arunendra Kumar had taken keen interest in increasing train speeds by upgrading existing tracks.
To meet the demand for more passenger trains, the corporation plans running trains at speeds of more than 200-300 kmph by building a new dedicated corridor.
Agnihotri claimed bullet train projects were financially viable, despite being capital intensive, as costs could be brought down by pursuing an indigenization policy. He said coaches for bullet trains could be manufactured in India by transfer of technology which would cut down costs.
He also contested the idea that high-speed trains were meant for the rich as high speed travel costs could be brought down by working on economy of scale, considering massive passenger traffic.
As BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has promised to connect the country with high-speed trains, many in railways are optimistic that the capital intensive project would see the light of day if the saffron outfit comes to power.
BJP in its manifesto talked of strengthening and upgrading railways to serve passengers as well as the country's economy by executing a Diamond Quadrilateral project — of high speed train network.
Railways gung ho on high speed trains - The Times of India
A top railway official said cost of high speed train travel could be brought down in the country because of economy of scale and indigenization.
"We are waiting for a new government to take a call on high speed trains. However, the company is geared up to implement the project," Satish Agnihotri, CMD, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) and chairman of the High Speed Rail Corporation (HSRC) told TOI.
The corporation is working on a project to raise the speed on Delhi-Agra section to 160 kmph and bring down the journey time from 130 minutes to less than 100 minutes while ensuring superior ride quality. "The project is expected to be ready by end of October," Agnihotri said.
As the next step, the corporation has planned to accelerate upgrading of speed potential on other sections, as well as launch a project to upgrade the speed potential to 200 kmph by applying the knowledge and experience gained from the Delhi-Agra project.
Considering the massive cost of running bullet trains, railways has decided to move step-by-step, by taking up the task of upgrading speeds of existing trains to 160-200 kmph.
Agnihotri said railway board chairman Arunendra Kumar had taken keen interest in increasing train speeds by upgrading existing tracks.
To meet the demand for more passenger trains, the corporation plans running trains at speeds of more than 200-300 kmph by building a new dedicated corridor.
Agnihotri claimed bullet train projects were financially viable, despite being capital intensive, as costs could be brought down by pursuing an indigenization policy. He said coaches for bullet trains could be manufactured in India by transfer of technology which would cut down costs.
He also contested the idea that high-speed trains were meant for the rich as high speed travel costs could be brought down by working on economy of scale, considering massive passenger traffic.
As BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has promised to connect the country with high-speed trains, many in railways are optimistic that the capital intensive project would see the light of day if the saffron outfit comes to power.
BJP in its manifesto talked of strengthening and upgrading railways to serve passengers as well as the country's economy by executing a Diamond Quadrilateral project — of high speed train network.
Railways gung ho on high speed trains - The Times of India
