Govt of India finalise seven new high speed rail routes to run Bullet Trains

(Representative Image)

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): The Indian Railways has achieved several milestones in its quest to enhance railway infrastructure and improve the efficiency of train services. Under Vision 2024, a total of 9,910 km of track length has been commissioned as of 01.04.2023, with an expenditure of 2.45 lakh crore incurred up to March 2023. Additionally, the Ministry of Railways is actively pursuing the construction of two Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), and the introduction of 50 Vande Bharat trains has been a notable step towards enhancing the speed and quality of passenger services.

As part of Vision 2024, the Railway authorities are actively implementing 251 railway infrastructure projects, including 76 New Line projects, 19 Gauge Conversion projects, and 156 Doubling projects. These initiatives encompass a total length of 29,147 km and are estimated to cost 4.92 lakh crore. Many of these projects span across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, with several of them in various stages of planning, sanction, and construction.

The completion of 2,196 km of the Dedicated Freight Corridors is a significant accomplishment. The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) from Ludhiana to Sonnagar, covering 1,150 km, and the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) to Dadri, spanning 1,046 km, are instrumental in streamlining freight transportation and enhancing logistics efficiency.

In pursuit of increasing train speeds, Indian Railways has taken various measures, including the rationalization of the time table in collaboration with IIT-Bombay. Passenger trains are being converted to Express services, and Express services are being upgraded to Superfast services to expedite travel times. The introduction of Vande Bharat trains, which offer higher speed potential, has also contributed to improving passenger services. As of 21st July 2023, 50 Vande Bharat trains have been successfully introduced on the Indian Railways network.

Moreover, the ambitious Mumbai - Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project is progressing with technical collaboration and financial assistance from the Government of Japan. The National Rail Plan outlines future possibilities for high-speed rail development on several routes, including

Delhi - Varanasi

Delhi - Ahmedabad

Mumbai - Nagpur

Mumbai - Hyderabad

Chennai - Mysore

Delhi - Amritsar

Varanasi - Howrah

The Minister of Railways, Communications, and Electronic & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, shared this information during a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, underscoring the government's commitment to enhancing rail infrastructure and promoting efficient and faster transportation services for the benefit of the citizens.

With these progressive steps and ongoing endeavors, Indian Railways is poised to create a more robust and advanced rail network, further reinforcing its position as an integral part of India's transportation backbone.