A proposal is under consideration to link Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed corridor with bullet trains Via Thane an... Read More

MUMBAI: A proposal is under consideration to link Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed corridor with bullet trains Via Thane and Virar in Maharashtra.

The feasibility study for 535 km Mumbai-Ahmedabad Hi-speed train is expected to be complete by May 2015 by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The JICA team was in Mumbai to meet state government and railway officials to discuss the details of the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 63,000 crore.

WR's divisional railway manager Shailendra Kumar said, "The train is likely to originate from BKC."

However, the team has drawn up other options for originating destination in Mumbai at either Bandra Terminus or LTT if BKC option does not work out.

The high-speed train will run at a Maximum speed of 320 KMPH. A senior railway official said, "The train will have the ability to traverse the 534 km distance in two hours."

As of now, the fastest train to run on this sector is Duranto and it takes close to 7 hours reach Ahmedabad from Mumbai Central. This train runs non-stop between these two cities at a maximum speed of 120 kmph.

As per the tentative alignment finalised, the train will originate via BKC or Bandra Terminus and will have halts at Thane and Virar, from where it will run parallel to existing WR alignment upto Ahmedabad."

There are a total of 11 stations, of which 7 are in Maharashtra.

The official said, "The idea behind linking the route via Thane is to keep the option open to link this High-speed train to Pune. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad route will primarily benefit Gujarat more as three of its premier city's, including Vapi, Surat and Vadodara get connected, while none of Maharashtra's major city except Mumbai gets the benefit."

A pre-feasibility study for the Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad route was conducted French consultancy firm Systra. Indian Railways has however decided to abandon the Pune-Mumbai leg of this stretch as it could turn to be loss-making proposition due to poor patronage.

An official said, "The project is likely to be implemented on PPP model with Maharashtra and Gujarat as stake-holders. Maharashtra would definitely look at the cost-benefit ratio before whole-heartedly commiting to the project."

The official said the feasibility study will include alignment survey. The official said, "It will check if the quantum and locaction where land-acquisition is necessary, building of tunnels and bridges, etc. It will also ascertain environmental challenges, if any while building the route."

The feasibility study will ascertain the traffic demand and suggest a financial model based on fare and non-fare box revenue.

Former Railway Board Member VN Mathur, who has been roped in as advisor by JICA for the project said, "The details of feasibility study are yet being work out."

The cost of the study, for which an agreement was signed in October 2013, will be shared 50:50 between India and Japan.

As of now, around 25 services operate between these two destinations. These includes, Shatabdi, Duronto and mail/ express services. Even then, the passenger demand for trains on this route has not ebbed.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad High speed

Length - 534 km

Estimated cost : Rs 63,000 crore

Estimated travel times : 2 hours

Maximum Speed : 320 kmph.

Stations : 11

