The Government has identified Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed corridor as a pilot project and feasibility options are being prepared. The Planning Commission has identified six dedicated high speed corridors totaling route line of 3,800 km, while experts in the Railways say that the country has the potential to develop 35 such corridors.

High speed rail system otherwise called “Bullet Train System” first began with Tokaido-Shinkansen high speed rail corridor in Japan in 1964 and later adopted by other countries from 1980s. India’s immediate neighbor, China is among the 15 countries with high speed rail corridors totaling route line of about 5,000 km. If the pilot project is successful, India will be joining the Club of High Speed Corridor Countries.

Inaugurating a two-day International Seminar on High Speed Trains in India : Issues and Options, organized by the Institute of Railway Electrical Engineers (IREE) here on Friday, the Indian Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said : “The pre-feasibility reports, in respect of these identified corridors are at various stages of preparation and study. Government has already identified Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed corridor, as the pilot project of this kind. A Project Steering Group has been constituted which is examining the options available for this project and finalizing feasible options and also suggesting mechanisms for quickly moving forward. He said that this project needs an estimated Rs. 63,000 crore of investment and it is really a challenging task and the experts will have to work on a financial model which will be win–win situation for all stakeholders.”

The Minister said that six high speed rail corridors have been identified for techno-economic feasibility studies.

He said that while these high speed services were premium services but in the Indian context a model needs to be worked out which would make it more affordable to bulk of the customers so that the introduction of high speed rail system in the country becomes truly inclusive.

Bansal referred to his own experiences of travels in high speed trains in Japan, Korea and France.

The Railway Minister hoped that the Seminar with the participation from national and international experts would yield useful recommendations and discuss all relevant issues and all options available on the subject of high speed train services especially in the Indian context. He also inaugurated an exhibition organised by IREE on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Indian Minister of State for Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said “there can be about 35 more high-speed corridors in this vast country which may be identified. The 12th Plan has proposed six high-speed projects.”

The Chairman, Railway Board, Vinay Mittal said “from the beginning made by the Japanese with the Tokaido-Shinkansen High Speed Line, we have come a long way with now 15 countries where High Speed trains of 300 kmph and more are running. Seven more countries are under advance stage of planning to introduce High Speed trains. Indian Railways have also identified some Corridors and commenced some pre-feasibility studies.”

Referring to the advantages of high-speed trains Mittal said that the economic and social impacts of high speed rail systems have been well documented world over. He pointed out that these trains have improved accessibility, resulted in substantial savings of time and thereby enhancing productivity, attracted new economic activities. It requires less land and fuel saving is much more than in the case of cars and planes.

In the system of high speed railways there has been reduction in accident rate and has generated additional capacity for railway systems. “There is now a need to develop an appropriate financial model which enhances the expansion of such trains in developing countries,” he added.

Delivering key note address, Member Electrical, Railway Board and Patron, Institution of Railway Electrical Engineers Kul Bhushan said : “land has become a scarce resource in the country. High speed rail systems are mostly built on elevated pathways, requiring negligible land, as compared to 6-lane highways. From the international operational experience, high speed railways have the highest performance of safety, as compared to any other mode of mass repaid transportation system because of the factors like absence of level crossing or any type of obstruction on the pathways, advanced signaling and communication, improved track and rolling stock.

The two-day seminar will also help evolve appropriate policies to make efficient technologies competitive. This is significant in the back drop of liberlisation that facilities technology import and set-up of industries in India. Recommendations from a panel of exports will be drawn for framing strategies of acquisition of new technologies.