No date has been set for the competition for India’s first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai in response to the RTI. In response to RTI, National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) Deputy General Manager Umesh Kumar Gupta informed this to Mumbai-based activist Anil Galgali. Although the Railway Ministry had recently announced that the first bullet train project would connect Mumbai and Gujarat in 2026, according to Galgali, the response of the NHSRCL has raised concerns.
“NHSRCL has stated that the time limit for completion of the project can be decided only after the completion of land acquisition in Maharashtra and award of all tenders/contracts related to the project,” Galgali said.
Gupta further informed Galgali that the civil works for the entire section of the 352 km bullet train project in Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli were started in various phases from December 2020.
Gupta said, “As of September 1, 2022, civil work is going on in full speed in Gujarat. All civil and track tenders have already been awarded across the entire length of Gujarat. Land acquisition in Maharashtra is in progress.”
In view of NHSRCL’s stand, Galgali said that when such ambitious mega-projects are announced without complete planning, the project is not completed on time, and this results in cost escalation at all levels. The bullet train project costing over Rs 1 lakh crore was expected to be completed by December 2023 but got stuck due to various political hurdles and other issues.
IANS. with inputs of