Indian Railways Initiates Assessment to Identify Viable Routes for 7 New Bullet Train Corridors

The Ministry of Railways has initiated steps to assess the financial and operational viability of 7 proposed bullet train corridors following the Union Budget announcement on expanding high speed rail connectivity, as per news reports. 

Railway Board Directs Update of Project Reports 

After a senior level meeting at the Railway Board, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has been instructed to take immediate action to move the projects forward. The Board has asked NHSRCL to update detailed project reports for completed corridors using current cost estimates to support accurate viability assessments. 

This exercise is aimed at aligning financial planning with present market conditions before advancing to further stages of execution. 

Proposed Bullet Train Corridors and Estimated Cost 

The 7 proposed high speed rail corridors cover a combined length of around 4,000 kilometres and are estimated to involve an investment of about ₹16 trillion.  

The identified routes include Mumbai to Pune, Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Hyderabad to Chennai, Chennai to Bengaluru, Delhi to Varanasi, and Varanasi to Siliguri. 

These corridors are planned in addition to the Mumbai to Ahmedabad high speed rail project currently under construction. 

Read More: How to Use Indian Railways Emergency Quota for Medical and Family Urgencies? 

Standardisation and Pre Construction Planning 

The Railway Board has also called for standardisation of high speed rail systems across projects. Directions include forming dedicated field based core teams for each corridor and initiating pre construction activities such as contract documentation. 

Planning for trained technical manpower has been highlighted to support execution requirements across multiple corridors. 

Focus on Experience from Existing Corridor 

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently stated that the experience gained from the Mumbai to Ahmedabad corridor has improved technical understanding across civil works, signalling systems, rolling stock and station construction. 

This accumulated experience is being considered while preparing detailed plans for the 7 new corridors. 

Conclusion 

The Railway Board’s directive to update project reports and assess viability marks a structured step in evaluating the proposed bullet train corridors. The process covers cost review, system planning and organisational readiness for expanded high speed rail development. 

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