Here comes the first bullet train of India to give you the thrilling experience while travelling between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The highlight in this bullet train journey is that some part of the journey will be under water. Shocked? Yes, it’s true. The estimated cost is about Rs 97,636 crore which includes possible cost escalation, interest during construction and import duties. Around 81% of the funding is by the loan bought from Japan.
A senior Railway Ministry official involved with the public transporter’s ambitious bullet train project said the distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is 508 km and in which a 21 km long tunnel under the sea is arranged and the remaining corridor is on the elevated track.
There will be a stretch after Thane creek towards Virar which will go under the sea according to JICA. According to the Railway officials, the loan agreement with Japan is slated to be signed by the end of 2016 and construction will be scheduled to begin by the end of 2018.
According to top priority to the first of its kind project, railways formed National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), a special purpose vehicle (SPV), with a paid-up capital of Rs 500 crore. The Indian Railways have already allotted Rs. 200 crore for SPV. Maharashtra and Gujarat will have equity of 25 percent each while the Railways will have 50 per cent in the SPV.
The bullet train is expected to cover 508 km in about two hours. The maximum speed of the train is 350 kph and operating speed is 320 kph. At present, Duronto Express takes about seven hours to cover the distance between the two financial centres.