NHSRCL asked to prepare report on 6 high-speed corridors

The new network is aimed at creating a diamond quadrilateral, which will connect major cities and economic centres of the country.

According to officials from NHSRCL, they are in the process to appoint a consultant to study the cost of the project, market demand to ascertain projected ridership and suitable form of construction such as underground or at surface.

The report, once prepared, will be sent to the Railway Board for scrutiny after which it will require a Cabinet nod. The report will also look at the possibility of inter-modal transport integration among various existing and planned networks.

An official from the Railway Board said, “We have asked NHSRCL to rope in a consultant and submit the cost for the DPR. However, no sanctions have been allocated for it so far.”

The NHSRCL, a special purpose vehicle created to execute the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, is yet to receive any funding from the Maharashtra government. Both Maharashtra and Gujarat had to put in Rs 5,000 crore each while the Railway Board would give another Rs 10,000 crore; 81 per cent is to be acquired through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).