Key Points

The other major items of the project that have been completed are piers across 395 km and girder casting and girder launching in more than 300 km. Erection of overhead equipment masts for providing electric power to locomotives has also commenced, the minister said in the Lok Sabha.

Out of the total 12 stations, foundation works have been completed at 8 stations (Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Anand, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati). In the Maharashtra section, foundation work is in progress at 3 stations (Thane, Virar, Boisar), and excavation work at BKC station is nearing completion, and casting of base slab has started.

As many as 16 river bridges have been completed, while work is in an advanced stage at 5 major river bridges (Narmada, Vishwamitri, Mahi, Tapti and Sabarmati) in Gujarat & in progress in four river bridges in Maharashtra. Work on depots (Thane, Surat and Sabarmati) is in full swing. Work on the only tunnel in Gujarat has been completed. The work on the undersea tunnel (21km approx.) has started, while the 4 km tunnel between Ghansoli and Shilphata in Maharashtra has been completed.

The minister also said that a cumulative expenditure of Rs 78,839 crore has been incurred on the project till June 30, 2025. The project has created employment for the people associated with construction directly and indirectly, the supply of various goods, construction material, equipment and services.

However, a bullet train project is very complex and technology-intensive, Vaishnaw noted, adding that the exact timelines and cost for the completion of the project can be reasonably ascertained only after the completion of all associated works of civil structures, track, electrical, signalling & telecommunication and supply of trainsets.

The minister also said that the entire land of 1389.5 hectares for the MAHSR project has been acquired. All statutory clearances relating to wildlife, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and forest clearance have been obtained. All the civil contracts of the project have been awarded. Out of the total 28 tender packages, 24 tender packages have been awarded. All 1,651 utilities have been shifted. Noise barriers are being installed to mitigate noise during operations.

The minister further said that Vande Bharat trains are semi-high-speed trainsets for the existing network and are not designed for the Bullet train project. The Bullet train project is designed for Japanese Shinkansen trains.

So far, 150 Vande Bharat train services, having chair cars, are operational on the broad gauge (B.G.) electrified network of Indian Railways. Besides, the introduction of new train services, including Vande Bharat train services, is an ongoing process on Indian Railways, subject to traffic justification, operational feasibility and resource availability. Vande Bharat trainsets have been indigenously designed and manufactured by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. Manufacturing of 200 Vande Bharat Sleeper rakes is underway, under Make in India initiatives for expanding these services to more routes, he added.

- IANS