Bullet trains: Railways to get help from Japan
Japanese consultants will join hands with Indian architects to develop the 12 proposed bullet train stations and its adjoining areas in an integrated way.
In a meeting with senior officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and Gujarat’s Urban Development and Municipal Commissioners, it was decided to take the help of Japanese experts in developing the areas around the stations — connecting them to bus, metro and other forms of transportation, a senior Indian Railways official in the know told journalists.
Commercial hubs
The proposed stations on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route are: Bandra Kurla Complex, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Baroda, Anand, Sabarmati and Ahmedabad.
Railways will adopt a “transit-oriented development plan” for all these stations so that each becomes a commercial hub ensuring smooth connectivity with the outside world.
In urban planning, transit-oriented development is a type of urban development that maximises the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport.