NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Ministry of Railways has undertaken feasibility studies for some routes of the Diamond Quadrilateral, namely Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata, Mumbai-Chennai, Mumbai-Nagpur and Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysuru.
Further, the Survey and preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the following Seven (7) HSR Corridors have been undertaken:-
- Delhi-Varanasi
- Delhi- Ahmedabad
- Mumbai- Nagpur
- Mumbai- Hyderabad
- Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysore
- Delhi- Chandigarh-Amritsar
- Varanasi-Howrah
However, being highly capital intensive, the sanction of any High-Speed Rail Project depends on several factors such as technical feasibility, financial viability and availability of financing options etc.
Till now, Government has sanctioned only one project of High-Speed Rail, namely the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project, with the technical and financial assistance of the Government of Japan. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), has been formed to implement this project. The present status of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is as under:-
- The Final Location Survey and Geotechnical investigation were completed. Alignment finalized.
- Statutory Clearances relating to wildlife, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and Forest clearance obtained in Gujarat.
- Out of total land requirement of approx. 1392.6 ha, 1374.2 Ha of land has been acquired.
- The project work has been divided into 28 Contract Packages, including Training Institute at Vadodara. Currently, 19 packages have been awarded, 01 is under evaluation, a Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) has been published for 03 packages, and for the balance of 5 packages, NIT is yet to be published.
- Out of a total of 352 Km length of projects located in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Civil works in 352 Km length have started in different phases from December 2020 onwards. By the end of November 2022, out of a total of 352 km elevated viaduct, approx. 212.3 km of piling, 129.2 km of foundation, 113.3 km of the pier, and 14 km of the superstructure have been completed
- 1596 out of 1651 utilities have been shifted.
This information was given by the Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronic & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaish, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
The exist6century plus year old rail route connecting Mumbai to Chennai via Pune,is the slowest of the lot,and needs immediate upgrade.It is time the Railway authorities take up this route on priority and complete the same at warfooting.As an offshoot,this will help to speed up trains on Mumbai -Bengaluru and Mumbai-Hyderabad also.