Shinkansen Bullet Trains To Be Modified For Indian Conditions, Project’s ‘Make In India’ Component Being Worked Out

The Shinkansen bullet trains being imported for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project will have India-specific modifications, Financial Express has reported. According to the Managing Director of National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), Achal Khare, 24 rakes of the bullet train will be procured initially under the ‘Make In India’ program.

“We are supposed to procure 24 rakes and the two governments (India and Japan) are working on the ‘Make in India’ aspect of the project. The main modifications will be based on the environmental considerations. Our environmental conditions are different from Japan. It is more cold in Japan compared to India. On the other hand, India is hotter compared to Japan,” Achal Khare told Financial Express.

Further, he added that India specific modifications would include removal of heater and addition of dust filters to the train.

Speaking on local manufacturing of the train, Achal Khare said that there would be three phases of ‘Make In India’ and the third phase would have more local content. Further, new trains would be added every ten years to the fleet. Six of the 24 rakes will be earmarked for production in India under the ‘Make In India’ program.

Complete operation of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail is expected to begin from 2023.