New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Japan’s Transport Minister Hiromasa Nakano visited the high-speed rail construction site in Surat on Friday to review the upcoming bullet train project.
According to the railway ministry, the visit reflects strong collaboration between India and Japan in implementing India’s first high-speed rail corridor.
“Hon’ble ministers reviewed key components of the project, including the track slab laying car and the track slab adjustment facility,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Both the ministers expressed satisfaction with the quality standards being followed and commended the rapid pace of construction,” it added.
Surat’s MP Mukesh Dalal, Mayor Daxesh Mavani, Railway Board chairman, and senior officials of Railways, NHSRCL and the district administration were also present at the Japanese minister’s reception.
Both the ministers travelled from Surat to Mumbai in the Vande Bharat Express.
“They also reviewed the progress of the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) bullet train station in Mumbai. Minister Nakano and Japanese team expressed happiness at the quality of Vande Bharat train,” the statement said.
It added, “BKC bullet train station in Mumbai will be the underground station on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor. Excavation is taking place to a depth of over 30 metres, roughly equal to a 10-storey building.” The railway ministry stated that its design provides wide space for passengers and amenities.
“Skylight features are included for natural lighting. About 84% of excavation work is already completed,” an official said.
According to the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited, which is executing India’s first bullet train project, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor, spanning across 508 km, will offer fast connectivity between Maharashtra and Gujarat.
“After starting from Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) area in Maharashtra, the high-speed train running at a speed of 320 km/h will revolutionise intercity travel in the region and will integrate the economies of Mumbai, Vapi, Surat, Anand, Vadodara & Ahmedabad,” an NHSRCL official said.
“It would provide high-speed rail connectivity to the industrial towns of Boisar, Bharuch & Ankleshwar and the upcoming Vadhvan Port (through Boisar Station). It will have stops at 10 cities in between, namely Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and will terminate at Sabarmati,” the official added.
The entire journey will be completed in about 2 hours and 7 minutes with limited stops (at Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad), which is substantially less than the time taken by conventional trains or road journeys, the railway ministry said.
Recently, Vaishnaw had said that the entire bullet train project will be completed by the end of 2029. PTI JP ZMN
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