News Brief
Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Set To Tackle Heat, Dust And Heavy Loads With New Design Changes
A bullet train. (Representative image).
India and Japan have reportedly resolved design differences regarding the upcoming high-speed Bullet Train project along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, The Hindu BusinessLine reported citing senior officials.
The design changes are expected to receive formal approval soon.
The redesigned trains will accommodate better load-bearing capacities, including larger luggage capacities.
Adjustments also consider the more muscular build typical of Indian physiques compared to other leaner Asian populations.
Additionally, the trains will be equipped to function in India’s extreme conditions, such as temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius and dustier environments compared to Japan.
“Some seating arrangement reconfiguration could also happen, maybe two seats lesser than actual ones operating there,” the official was quoted as saying by The Hindu Businessline.
The Rs 1,08,000 crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor (MAHSR) project, approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2015, is a joint venture of the Union government and the Gujarat and Maharashtra state governments.
The project is being implemented through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL), with the Centre holding a 50 per cent stake, while Gujarat and Maharashtra governments each hold 25 per cent.
Around 81 per cent of the project’s cost is being financed through a soft loan provided by the Government of Japan via the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The JICA loan for the MAHSR project has a 50-year tenure with an interest rate of 0.1 per cent and reportedly a 15-year moratorium, allowing repayment over 35 years.
The high-speed train will travel over 500 kilometers in around two hours and seven minutes at a speed of around 300 km/h, connecting terminal stations BKC and Sabarmati.
A second official said that regime changes in Japan caused delays in initiating discussions on the Bullet Train redesign.
“Yes we sought design changes in the Bullet Train project to suit it as per conditions in India. Changes have been cleared. Formal approvals are expected in the coming weeks,” this second official added.
There were also discussions on keeping cost hike - because of redesign and other factors - to minimu.
A consortium of two Japanese companies, Kawasaki and Hitachi, is engaged in the development, manufacturing, and supply of high-speed trains for this corridor.
Under the initial JICA loan agreement, at least one batch of Bullet Trains has to be procured from Japanese manufacturers.
India is also working on developing indigenous high-speed trains based on the existing Vande Bharat platform.
The Railway Board has tasked the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) with manufacturing a bullet train capable of achieving a top speed of around 250-280 km/h.
The railway production unit has roped in BEML to produce these trains at a cost of Rs 866.87 crore.
This total contract value includes design costs, one-time development expenses, non-recurring charges, and costs for fixtures, tooling, and testing facilities.
