Modi govt’s dream high-speed train project remains in studying stage

NEW DELHI: The much trumpeted dream project of high-speed rail of the Modi government to reduce travel time between metro cities drastically has so far been confined in the study stage and is yet to come on the drawing board.

While the proposed Mumbaiahmedabad rail corridor is facing serious issues related to land acquisition and compensation to farmers, the government has joined hands with China, Spain and Germany to conduct feasibility studies of sections of the Diamond Quadrilateral network.

In the Rail Budget 2014-15, the study for setting up the Diamond Quadrilateral network of high-speed rail connecting major metros and growth centres of the country was announced.

Feasibility studies were planned for network of trains linking Delhi-mumbai, Mumbai-chennai, Chennai-kolkata, Kolkata-delhi and both the diagonals - Delhi-chennai and Mumbai-kolkata.

The government has assigned the Delhi-mumbai high speed rail corridor to TRSD, a Chinese conglomeration, for a feasibility study of the proposed route for running trains at a maximum speed of 300 km per hour.

The study is expected to be completed this year, said a senior Railway Ministry official involved with the project to IANS.

China is also involved on the Delhi-nagpur route, which is part of the Delhi-chennai high-speed corridor, for carrying out feasibility study of the section.

The study is likely to be completed in January 2019.

While the Mumbai-chennai corridor has been given to Systra, a French consultant, the Delhi-kolkata route has gone to a Spanish consultant for carrying out a detailed study for running bullet trains.

Both the studies are slated to be completed this year. Spain has been given another section - Mumbainagpur route, which is part of the Mumbai-kolkata high-speed corridor, besides Delhi-kolkata for conducting study.

The proposed Mumbai-ahmedabad rail corridor is facing land acquisition and compensation issues