 "Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train: Is India looking at alternatives to Japan for project?")
Is the India’s bullet train project with Japan in trouble?
According to a report, the Centre is looking at alternatives to Japan because of repeated delays in the project.
India had announced that the country’s first bullet train would run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai — a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The project, helmed by the by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), is pegged to cost around Rs 1.08 lakh crore.
It said the train would run at a maximum speed of 350 kilometres per hour and cover the 508-kilometre stretch in under three hours.
India and Japan had inked the bullet train deal in 2015.
But what do we know about the state of the project?
Let’s take a closer look:
According to a report in Hindustan Times, the Centre wants to launch the service in 2026.
This, a year ahead of the polls in Gujarat.
However, the Japanese have been unable to give a firm commitment to the deadline.
Three people in the know, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the newspaper that New Delhi is now looking at alternative suppliers in Europe.
“An internal directive to prepare global tenders for various components of the bullet train project was issued by the competent authority in mid-September, but floating of tenders is on hold because the regime in Japan has changed and the new government is being given time to respond,” one person told the newspaper.
The development comes just months after Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw led a team to Japan to sort out a series of issues with the project, as per The Hindu.
Vaishnaw was accompanied by NHSRCL managing director Vivek Kumar Gupta and Railway Board member (Infrastructure) Anil Kumar Khandelwal.
Among the issues discussed on the three-day trip were Japan insisting that only Japanese vendors be used for the trains and signalling systems.
“Japan which is providing all the technical support and technology for running the bullet trains is keen that the train sets and the signalling system be purchased from Japanese suppliers only,” sources told The Hindu.
The price of the project and the time taken for it to be completed were also discussed.
The former, in particular, is becoming a major issue.
NHSRCL has said it has already spent Rs 60,372 crore on the project – as against the allotted budget of Rs 1.08 lakh crore.
“A majority of this cost has been spent in creating infrastructure for the bullet train like constructing the viaduct, girder casting and launching, laying rail level slabs and so on. This leaves increasingly small margin for spending on buying the train sets and setting up the signalling systems,” officials said.
This means that the cost of the project will likely go up further.
But changing suppliers midway won’t be easy.
“Issuing a (new) global tender for the project may be construed as sidestepping Japan and it could impact bilateral ties. Hence, a section of the government wants to persuade Tokyo to agree to source some of the components from Europe to expeditiously complete the project,” the second person told Hindustan Times.
“Their (Japan) concurrence is also desirable as they are funding the project through long-term loan at a concessional rate.”
About the bullet train project
According to Financial Express, the project was initially expected to be completed in 2022.
However, the project has seen repeated delays.
As per Indian Express, Vaishnaw in February said the first phase of the project – which links Surat to Bilimora – would be operational August 2026.
Vaishnaw, who said the 284-kilometre bullet train corridor viaduct was ready in Gujarat, blamed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Udhhav Thackeray for delaying the work.
As per The Times of India, India’s first bullet train will be known as Shinkansen E5.
The Japanese bullet trains, known as Shinkansen , are famed for their speed and efficiency.
The train has a top speed of 350 kmph.
The bullet train will offer two travel options on the same route – one with all the stops and another with limited halts.
Of the 508 kilometre stretch, 351 kilometres is in Gujarat and the rest is in Maharashtra.
Of the 12 stations, four are in Maharashtra – BKC, Thane, Virar and Boisar.
India eventually plans to have 35 bullet trains – which will have 10 coaches each – making 70 trips every day.
The bullet train makes use of the ballastless track – a first in India.
While the traditional or ballasted track comprises rail fixed to sleepers supported by crushed stones, the bed is composed of reinforced concrete (RC) in the case of the ballastless track.
The track slab rests on the RC track bed, which has a thickness of approximately 300 mm and is 2420 mm wide. It is constructed in-situ (at site) for individual UP and Down track lines.
A reference pin is installed for achieving the desired alignment (both horizontal and vertical) suitable for train operation at 320 kmph.
As per the shareholding pattern, the Centre is to pay Rs 10,000 crore to NHSRCL, while Gujarat and Maharashtra are required to pay Rs 5,000 crore each.
The rest is to be financed by Japan through a loan at 0.1 per cent interest.
Opposition takes aim at Centre
The opposition in May slammed the Centre over the project’s escalating costs.
The Congress noted on its handle on X, formerly Twitter, “The initial cost estimation for the project was Rs 1.08 lakh crore for constructing 508 kms with 12 stops, cost was later revised to Rs 1.65 lakh crore but it is expected to cost Rs two lakh crore when completed, which is Rs 398 crore per km.”
It claimed that the project would become ‘one of the biggest liabilities’ to India.
With inputs from agencies
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