PM Modi in Japan: Have unveiled ambition for 7,000 km-long network of high-speed rail

I welcome active participation by Japanese companies, says PM Modi

Speaking on the expansion of the country’s high-speed rail network, PM Modi told The Yomiuri Shimbun that, “much of it will have to be through Make in India, so that the program is sustainable and viable. I welcome active participation by Japanese companies in this endeavour.”

Earlier in the day, addressing the India-Japan Economic Forum in Tokyo, PM Modi noted that India has made unprecedented progress in next generation mobility, and logistics infrastructure in the last decade.

“The capacity of our ports has doubled. There are more than 160 airports. Metro lines of a 1,000 km have been built. Work is also underway on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail in cooperation with Japan,” he said.

Railways Begins DPR Work for New Bullet Train Corridors

During the Monsoon session of Parliament, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that NHSRCL has started preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for expanding India’s bullet train network.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (July 23), Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the Ministry of Railways is actively working on plans to extend the HSR network beyond the MAHSR corridor.

“In order to expand the HSR network in India beyond MAHSR corridor and to meet the growing passenger demand between major cities of commercial/economic and tourist importance, Detailed Project Report (DPRs) are being prepared by National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL),” Vaishnaw said.

Possible Bullet Train Routes in India

Previously, the National Rail Plan mentioned the following routes for possible development of high speed rail network:

• Delhi – Varanasi
• Delhi – Ahmedabad
• Mumbai – Nagpur
• Mumbai – Hyderabad
• Chennai – Mysore
• Delhi – Amritsar
• Varanasi – Howrah