Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that the first body frame of the indigenously built bullet train has been completed and sent for a squeeze test. According to Vaishnaw, the bullet train will be on the tracks for testing by May or June of next year. Once bullet train service resumes, people will be able to reach Mumbai from Vadodara in just an hour and a half. Speaking at the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event, Vaishnaw said that the bullet train will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister after two to four months of testing.
“Regarding the bullet train being built in India – driven by the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat- its first body frame was completed just the day before yesterday and sent for a squeeze test. By May or June of next year, India’s own bullet train will be on the tracks for testing. After a testing period of 2-4 months, the Prime Minister himself will inaugurate the bullet train. When you ride the bullet train from Vadodara, you will reach Mumbai in just an hour and a half,” the minister said.
First section to be commissioned next year
Earlier, Vaishnaw said that the first section of the bullet train between Surat and Bilimora is targeted for commissioning next year, while progress on the wider stretch is moving ahead faster than anticipated.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Corridor is one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure projects and will mark the beginning of a new era in high-speed rail travel in the country.
PM Modi dedicates Western Dedicated Freight Corridor
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated three key sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), marking the completion of a major phase of India’s dedicated freight infrastructure. The three sections – Sanand (North)-Makarpura, New Umbergaon-New Saphale, and New Saphale-Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (JNPT) – together cover 326 route kilometres and were developed at a cost of over Rs 20,700 crore.
The Prime Minister highlighted the long gap between the conception of the Dedicated Freight Corridor and the actual progress on the ground. He said the idea was first proposed in 2004, while a special company was established in 2006 to undertake the project.
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