Govt conducting study to set up bullet train network in other

The Centre is conducting a detailed study to assess the feasibility of setting up bullet train network in other parts of the country, Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi said in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

At present, the Centre has sanctioned Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Train project, also known as bullet train project, of 508 km length. It is targeted to be completed in 2023.

"A detailed study is going on through out the country.... We can examine (to set up a network) once we get the report," Angadi said during the Question Hour in the Upper House.

Once current project is successful, the Centre can think of launching it on routes like Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Mumbai and other cities, he said.

In his written reply, the Minister said the Mumbai- Ahmedabad High Speed Train Project is being implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 1,08,000 crore by a special purpose vehicle National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) with the financial and technical assistance from Japan government,
To a suggestion that it would have been better if the government made huge investment in education and health instead of high speed train, the Minister said: "Bullet train is for the future. What has been thought as luxury yesterday is a necessity now."