NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Mr. Satish Agnihotri, chairman and managing director, National High Speed Rail Corridor (NHSRCL) on Tuesday said that India’s first bullet train will be operational in 2027 for which trials will begin in 2026. He also said that India’s first bullet train station in Surat will be inaugurated by 2023.
“Though the trial between Surat and Bilimora will be conducted in 2026, we will commence bullet train operations in between these two stations from 2027,” he said. “Surat station is expected to be ready for operations by September 2023”, he added.
NHSRCL officials informed that the civil work is at four stations that are Vapi, Bilimora, Surat and Bharuch of the total 12 stations will be ready by December 2024 as the construction is being carried out at an escalated pace. Officials also said that apart from the construction of these four stations, a viaduct of 237 km will also be constructed.
Japan Ambassador, Satoshi Suzuki told the media, “Our priority is to complete and start the bullet train operations on this route. Maintenance and provision of updated technology is a commitment from Japan,”
“Our latest technology is the E5 Shinkansen however, we are providing an upgraded version of this technology keeping in mind India’s weather conditions and pollution. The coaches of the bullet train will be antiseismic,” he added while talking about the bullet train project.
“For the first bullet train, some train coaches will be shipped as complete coaches while some will be assembled in India and the technology is based on a crash avoidance system which includes the latest signalling and coach designs that make the train accident-free,” Agnihotri said.
He also informed that around one lakh people will be employed when the civil work progresses to its peak, which is expected to reach by June. “The project currently has generated around 20,000 employments,” he added.
The total length of this bullet train route is 508.17km and the maximum operational speed is 320 kmph. The whole route of Ahmedabad- Mumbai bullet train will have 12 stations- eight in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra. Stations in Maharashtra include Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar and Boisar.
