High-speed rail in India

India has one of the largest rail networks in the world. As of 2011, India does not have any high-
speed rail lines capable of supporting speeds of 200 k!h "12# ph$ or ore, and none is under
construction or sub%ect to definite plans, only of longer-ter proposals.
&ast e'press trains such as the Shatabdi and Duronto are often referred to as (high-speed( trains
by governent officials and Indian edia, and trains with speed of 2)0 to *)0 k!h "1)) to 21+
ph$ are often referred to as (bullet-trains(. However, periodically interest is e'pressed by the
,overnent and edia in introducing high-speed rail in India.
-urrent effort to increase speed to 1.0-200 k!h
Indian /ailways0 current effort to provide fast non-stop train services under the brand of 1uronto
continues in the decade of 2010-12. In addition, they ai at raising the speed of passenger trains
to 200-2)0 k!h on dedicated conventional tracks. 3rain %ourney between 1elhi-4ubai and
1elhi--alcutta will becoe an overnight service copared with the present 1)-1. hours.
Approach to high-speed
Indian /ailways0 approach to high-speed is increental iproveent on e'isting conventional
lines for up to 200 k!h, with a forward vision of speed above 2)0 k!h on new tracks with
state-of-the-art technology, such as 5hinkansen!3,6!etc. 7hile they do not define high-speed,
Indian /ailways0 approach atches the high-speed definitions of the 3rans-8uropean high-speed
rail network, for upgraded lines and new lines built for high-speed.
Dedicate tracks to passenger trains
1edicate tracks on e'isting trunk lines to passenger trains, by building separate corridors for
freight trains, and build separate tracks for busy suburban traffic in 4ubai and other cities
where traffic is e9ually busy. 7ithout slower freight and suburban traffic, fast-e'press trains can
run at the speed liit of rolling stock, the track or railroad switch, whichever is lowest aong
those that apply.
Upgrade tracks for 160-200 km/h
Upgrade the dedicated passenger tracks with heavier rails, and bild the tracks to a close
tolerance geometr! fit for 160-200 km/h" #igh-speed tracks to be maintained and inspected
sing atomation to ensre re$ired track geometr!" %erform more fre$ent inspection to
ensre high confidence of safet! at high-speed.
1esign, anufacture and deploy railroad switches, with thick web construction and ovable
crossings that perit )0 k!h to alleviate this bottleneck to speed.
Upgrade locomotives and coaches
&mprove coaches, which can spport 200 km/h, with stainless steel bodies and crash-worth!
designs, incorporating passenger and crew protection, and fire-retardant materials" '$ip
coaches with electro-pnematic brake s!stems to enhance safe operations at 160-200 km/h"
(1)
1evelop locootives with output of 2000 to 12000 hp for hauling of 2#-2. coach long passenger
trains to 1.0-200 k!h.
:1;
<roposal to introduce 2)0-*)0 k!h trains in India
3he Indian 4inistry of /ailways0 white-paper 6ision 2020 subitted to Indian
<arliaent by /ailway 4inister 4aata =aner%ee on 1eceber 1> 2002 envisages the
ipleentation of regional high-speed rail pro%ects to provide services at 2)0-*)0 k!h, and
planning for corridors connecting coercial, tourist and pilgriage hubs. 5i' corridors have
already been identified for technical studies on setting up of high-speed rail corridors? Delhi-
*handigarh-Amritsar, %ne-+mbai-Ahmedabad, #!derabad-Dornakal-,i-a!awada-
*hennai, #owrah-#aldia,*hennai-.angalore-*oimbatore-/ochi, Delhi-Agra-0cknow-
,aranasi-%atna. 3hese high-speed rail corridors will be built as elevated corridors in keeping
with the pattern of habitation and the constraint of land.
1uring Indian <rie 4inister 4anohan 5ingh0s visit to 3okyo in 1eceber 200., @apan
assured cooperation with India in creating a high speed link between Aew 1elhi and 4ubai. In
@anuary 2002, the then /ailway 4inister Balu <rasad e'pressed keen interest in
introducingbullet-trains in India. (3he day is not far off when the bullet train will run in the
country( <rasad had said after getting a first-hand feel of the superfast trains travelling fro
3okyo to Cyoto at a speed of about *00 k!h. Dn a visit to India in 1eceber 2002, @apanese
<rie 4inister Eukio Hatoyaa offered bullet-train technology to India. (5ince its inception "in
@apan$, there has been no accidents. 7e will like to see this technology being used in IndiaF,
said Hatoyaa. 3he proposal is under discussion, according to official sources.
Aot everyone in India is e9ually keen on introducing high-speed rail as the <rie 4inister
4anohan 5ingh or the forer /ailway 4inister Balu <rasad with soe leaders e'pressing
apprehension that regional biases ight creep in in the absence of a coprehensive national
policy vis-a-vis high speed railways.
3wo new routes were later proposed by Indian /ailways, naely Ahedabad - 1warka,
via /a%kot, @anagar and other fro /a%kot to 6eravalvia @unagadh
:>;
According to news media, the costs for constrcting sch rail lines in &ndia are estimated to
be 1s 200-1000 million per km 3U45 16-22 million/km7" 8herefore the +mbai-
Ahmedabad rote of 600 km, will cost 1s 920 billion 3U45 :"0; billion7 to bild and to
make a profit, passengers will have to be charged 1s 6 per km 3U45 0"11/km7" Delhi to
Amritsar one-wa!, a distance of ;60 km, will cost abot 1s 2000 3U45 ;9";:7"
(11)
At U45 16-
22 million per km, cost estimates are in line with U45 1: million per km of the recentl!
completed <-=ang #41 line in *hina"
0ikel! initial lines
&n &ndia, trains in the ftre with speed of 260-960 km/h, are envisaged to rn on elevated
corridors, to prevent trespassing b! animals and people" 8his is an e>cellent wa! to isolate
high-speed train tracks" 8he 8=, tracks are completel! fenced in and has no road crossing
them at the same level" <-=ang?s 2-tracks line is laid, ;6: km on bridges, 122 km in
tnnels, and 929 km on embankments" 8he 996 km 8#41 tracks are @1A on bridges,
fl!over, or tnnels"
3he current conventional lines between Aritsar-Aew 1elhi, and Ahedabad-4ubai runs
through suburban and rural areas, which are flat, therefore have no tunnel. Ahedabad-4ubai
line runs near the coast therefore have ore bridges, and parts of it are in backwaters or forest.
3he 1@:2 1D4B/C&*A feasibilit! std! fond the +mbai-Ahmedabad line as most
promising"
%ro-ect e>ection
3he Aational High 5peed /ail Authority is being set up. 3o put the construction in perspective,
in the period 200)-02 Indian /ailways took on construction of #2 copletely new conventional
lines, a total of #0.0 k at a cost of /s 1.+ billion "G5H *..* billion$, or /s #1 illion per k
"G5H 0.>2 illion!k$. A public-private-partnership ode of investent and e'ecution is
envisaged for such e'pensive 2)0-*)0 k!h high-speed rail pro%ect.3he cost of building high
speed rail tracks is about /s +0 crore per k "GH1)..!k$, copared with /s . crore!k of
noral rail tracks.
/erala 4tate #igh 4peed 1ail %ro-ectD
3he Cerala state governent has fored a new public liited copany - Cerala High 5peed
/ail -orporation Btd - to ipleent a high speed rail network, which is estiated to cost /s
++,000 crore. 3he .*0-k network will connect 3hiruvananthapura with 4angalore. 3he
Cerala 5tate Industrial 1evelopent -orporation "C5I1-$ has been appointed the nodal agency
to develop the pro%ect, and 1elhi 4etro /ail -orporation "14/-$ has been assigned with a pre-
feasibility study.3he new copany was fored on the basis of a pre-feasibility report subitted
by 14/-. &urther technical studies and econoic evaluation are currently being
planned.Iref2J:>; 3he proposed high speed corridor will have two parallel tracks in the standard
gauge syste as in the 1elhi 4etro /ail. 3he high speed corridor will have an alignent
independent of the e'isting alignent of the Indian /ailways. 3he pro%ect will be ipleented
as a %oint venture between the state governent and a private partner which will be selected at a
later stage. 3 =alakrishnan, Additional -hief 5ecretary "Industry and -oerce$, Alkesh Cuar
5hara, 4anaging 1irector C5I1-, and 3 < 3hoas Cutty, 8'ecutive 1irector, C5I1-, are the
first directors of the new copany.3he copany will undertake detailed feasibility report for the
pro%ect and identify suitable rail technology to ipleent the high speed corridor. 5teps have
also been initiated for the release of a notification for the ac9uisition of land needed to
ipleent the pro%ect. 3he width of the land re9uired to be ac9uired for the rail corridor is 1*
etres. 3he high speed corridor will use a greenfield route to keep the rehabilitation task to the
iniu.
#&=# 4%''D 1A&0 &E &ED&A" Febrar! 2011 pdate
If you are a fre9uent visitor you already know that feasibility studies for si' high speed corridors
will be developed. 3hese rail corridors are the following?3Updated Cl! 90th 20117
a7 %ne- +mbai- Ahmedabad. -opleted by 5ystra, Italferr and /I385. Gpdate 2
b7 Delhi- *handigarh G Amritsar"
c7 Delhi G Agra-0know-,aranasi-%atna. Gnder finalisation by 4ott 4ac1onald "GC$
d7 #aldia G #owrah. -opleted by Ineco along with <rointec and Ayesa "5panish
consortiu$.
e7 #!derabad G Dornakal G ,i-a!awada G *hennai" 3ender closed @une 1)th
f7 *hennai -.angalore - *oimbatore - 'rnaklam
7e have got three of stories to share with you, we hope you like it?
1" #igh-speed rail link connecting .angalore to the .engalr &nternational Airport
cleared
=ids were to be subitted by August but they were not. It hit speed breakers over the legal
fraework the pro%ect was to be ipleented under.
In 200., the Carnataka governent proposed to ipleent the pro%ect under the 4ysore
3raway Act 120), but with the new airport located outside the %urisdiction of the city
corporation or the =ruhat =angalore 4ahanagar <alike, where the Act is not applicable, the
governent has been forced to stall the pro%ect indefinitely while it pursues a legal resolution.
3he central epowered coittee has not only approved the uch-awaited high speed rail line
"H5/B$, but also agreed to take up pro%ect on a )0?)0 basis, thus, reducing the stateKs burden.
L7e have reached an agreeent with the -entral governent to ake aendents in the 4etro
/ailways "-onstruction of 7orks$ Act, 12+>, and after copleting foralities, we will finalise
the tender process by the first week of 4archF said 6 4adhu, principal secretary, infrastructure
developent departent. 3he work will begin in @une, as land ac9uisition process will be
copleted by then, he said.
2" Fll stop to +mbai-Eagpr high speed train
3he cabinet had approved the proposal and a feasibility study was conducted by ,eran
consulting a%or 6ossing. In its pre-feasibility report subitted to the governent around two
years ago, 6ossing had said that the high speed train was a viable proposition. However, the
proposal sees to have been duped.
9" Ahmedabad-+mbai bllet train pro-ect cost escalates
5ources said the -entre is likely to ake soe iportant announceents on the pro%ect in the
upcoing =udget session of the <arliaent, and the state governent is keeping its fingers
crossed.
5ources added that the state governent ay allow a <ublic-<rivate <artnership "<<<$ odel, in
which case the cost sharing forula ay differ. 3he stateKs final share in the pro%ect cost will be
decided only after the -entre clears the issue, which is likely during the upcoing =udget
session, they said.
An official said the total base construction cost has been estiated at /s #2,000 crore "in
econoical condition$ and investent in rolling stock "base case$ will coe to around /s .,>00
crore. L3his cost ay increase up to /s >),))) crore depending on the choice of alignent and
tie period and other factors,F an official said.
U%DA8' Cl! ;th
/ailways is ulling to nae its proposed high speed train service as 3,5 "3ibra ,atee 5eva$
on the pattern of 3,6, the bullet train service in &rance.
&ndia &s 0ooking at the %roposal for the First .llet 8rain
India is looking at a proposal presented %ointly by three copaniesM 4!stra of France, &talferr
of &tal!, and 1&8'4 of &ndiaHto bild the first bllet train sing the Capanese technolog!
in the 699-km 3996 miles7 %ne-+mbai-Ahmedabad section in western &ndia" 3he proposal
will be evaluated for approval in @anuary.
1uring his recent visit to India, @apanese <rie 4inister Eukio Hatoyaa, aware of this
developent, has offered his country0s e'pertise in such odern technology, and said he would
(like to see bullet train technology in India,( pointing out (that @apanese bullet trains have never
been involved in any accident.(
&or a bullet train, a dedicated corridor would have to be built. 3he feasibility study is e'aining
the possible alignent, fare structure, and volue of passengers in the proposed high-speed
corridor. =esides the elevated route, the study will look at the possibility of and underground
route for the high-speed corridor.
8he bllet train, at 960 km per hor 3220 miles per hor7 speed, aims to redce the travel
time between the western &ndian cities of %ne and +mbai to -st 26 mintes, and the
travel time from +mbai to the cit! of Ahmedabad to less than two hors" As of now, the
travel time for the %ne-+mbai trip 3@9 km7 is three hors, while the ;;0-km-long
-orne! between +mbai and Ahmedabad takes abot 2 hors"
India has one of the largest rail networks in the world. As of 2010, India does not have any high-
speed rail lines capable of supporting speeds of 200 k!h "12) ph$ or ore, and none is under
construction or planned.
&ast e'press trains such as the 5hatabdi and 1uronto are often referred to as (high-speed( trains
by governent officials and Indian edia, and trains with speed of 2)0 to *)0 k!h are often
referred to as (bullet-trains(. However, there are soe interests in introducing high-speed rail in
India, with trains capable of 2)0 to *)0 k!h.
4peed
3he fastest train in India is the =hopal 5hatabdi, a 5hatabdi 8'press train, with a a'iu
speed of 1.0 k!h "100 ph$ and an average speed of 2* k!h ")> ph$, e'cluding stops. 3he
1uronto 8'press trains introduced in 2002, runs without stop between a%or cities, is pro%ected
the fastest train in India, when new services are introduced with a higher speed liit of 1*0
k!h. 1espite liited to a uch lower speed liit, it is as fast as a /a%dhani or 5hatabdi on the
sae route "see 3racks and 5peed sections$. /a%dhani 8'press which connects Aew 1elhi with
other destinations in India was introduced in 12.2, has speed up to 1#0 k!h.
%roposal to introdce 260-960 km/h trains in &ndia
3he Indian 4inistry of /ailways0 white-paper 6ision 2020 subitted to Indian <arliaent by
/ailway 4inister 4aata =aner%ee on 1eceber 1> 2002 envisages the ipleentation of
regional high-speed rail pro%ects to provide services at 2)0-*)0 k!h, and planning for corridors
connecting coercial, tourist and pilgriage hubs. 5i' corridors have already been identified
for technical studies on setting up of high-speed rail corridors? 1elhi--handigarh-Aritsar,
<une-4ubai-Ahedabad, Hyderabad-1ornakal-6i%ayawada--hennai, Howrah-Haldia,
-hennai-=angalore--oibatore-8rnakula, 1elhi-Agra-Bucknow-6aranasi-<atna. 3hese high-
speed rail corridors will be built as elevated corridors in keeping with the pattern of habitation
and the constraint of land.
1uring Indian <rie 4inister 4anohan 5ingh0s visit to 3okyo in 1eceber 200., @apan
assured cooperation to India in creating a high speed link between Aew 1elhi and 4ubai. In
@anuary 2002, the then /ailway 4inister Balu <rasad e'pressed keen interest in introducing
bullet-trains in India. (3he day is not far off when the bullet train will run in the country( <rasad
had said after getting a first-hand feel of the superfast trains travelling fro 3okyo to Cyoto at a
speed of about *00 k!h. Dn a visit to India in 1eceber 2002, @apanese <rie 4inister Eukio
Hatoyaa offered bullet-train technology to India. (5ince its inception "in @apan$, there has been
no accidents. 7e will like to see this technology being used in IndiaF, said Hatoyaa. 3he
proposal is under discussion, according to official sources.
Aot everyone in India is e9ually keen on introducing high-speed rail as the <rie 4inister
4anohan 5ingh or the forer /ailway 4inister Balu <rasad. Dn 1> &ebruary 200>, the -hief
4inister of Carnataka, =. 5. Eeddyurappa, described a (=ullet train 0as not in the stateKs best
interest0(. He also said that his governent will participate in the pro%ect only if the -hennai-
=angalore High 5peed /ail Bink is e'tended to 4ubai via Hubli, with an additional link to
4ysore, both being single tracks on the noral broad gauge track. He also stated that (5uch
pro%ects will help only the people of 3ail Aadu and Cerala coe to =angalore and not the
people of Carnataka. If our suggestions are not taken into consideration, it would be difficult for
Carnataka to support the pro%ects envisaged by the /ailways.(