NEW DELHI: Railways have selected a Japanese consortium to explore the possibility of running a bullet train on the Hyderabad-Chennai high speed rail corridor.



Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) and Oriental Consultancy along with Parsons Brinkhoff India has bagged the contract to conduct the pre-feasibility study on the proposed 664 km long Hyderabad-Vijaywada-Chennai route for running the high speed train, a senior Railway Ministry official said.



Japan's high speed trains Shinkansen operate at a speed of up to 300 km per hour and are known for their punctuality, comfort, safety and efficiency.



The consortium will submit the report in seven months. The study is expected to cost the railways about Rs 3.5 crore.



There were a total of 13 bidders including Korean, French, British and Spanish consultants in the race to bag the southern high speed rail project.



With the selection of the Japanese consortium, railways have undertaken study of four routes for running bullet trains.



Railways have roped in French firm Systra for Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad (650 km) route, while UK-based consultant Mott McDonald has been engaged to conduct the pre-feasibility study of the longest Delhi-Agra-Lucknow- Varanasi-Patna (991 km) route.



Spanish consultant Eneco has been hired to carry out studies in the shortest Howrah-Haldia (135 km) route.



Systra has submitted the report to the Railway Ministry, which is being examined now.



Selection for consultants for Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar (450 km) and Chennai-Bangalore-Coimbatore-Thiruvananthapuram (869 km) high speed rail corridor will be decided shortly.