Land acquisition for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train underway, but challenges ahead
The NHSRCL has started land acquisition for a station between the old and new Sabarmati stations for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train. Tenders will soon be floated for shifting of a container and locomotive workshop to make way for the new elevated station, officials said. The train, scheduled to be completed by August'22, will reduce travel time from the current seven hours to 2.07 hours.
All about the new bullet train project
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, started last September, will have an average speed of 320kmph and maximum of 350kmph. Apart from an underground tunnel, 468km will be elevated and 13km will be on ground. There will be 12 stations. Trains will cover the distance in 2.17 hours, or 2.58 hours if they stop at all stations; currently, trains take seven hours while flights take one.
Rotating chairs, leg-rest, coffee-maker and separate washrooms
The design will be one of a kind. Of the ten coaches, one will be business class with leg-rests, space for luggage, rotating chairs, coffee-maker, hand towel warmers, refrigerators and more. Other prominent features include separate washrooms for men and women as well as the specially-abled. The route will also have India's longest underground tunnel: 7km of it will be under the sea!
Number of trips, passengers and fare
Services will begin with 70 Ahmedabad-Mumbai runs daily. In Ahmedabad, they will originate at Sabarmati. During peak hours (7am-10am and 5pm-9pm), there will be three trains an hour. Two trains will depart each off-peak hour. Each train will carry 750 passengers. Capacity will be increased to 1,250 later. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had said the fare will be competitively priced, much like other trains.
Not without challenges: Acquiring land from villagers at the top
However, the project faces many challenges. Acquiring land from villagers remains the foremost, as the track will go through 108 villages covering Thane, Palghar and Mumbai affecting 10,000 locals. Palghar villagers are already protesting. Another major challenge is rupee depreciation. India might have to return more than Rs. 88,000cr it took in soft loan from Japan, as rupee is likely to depreciate against yen.
