Mumbai: National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) SC Agnihotri, managing director of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed train corridor, in 2026 for the entire Gujarat section, issued a statement on Tuesday. testing and services for the people will be started by 2027.
The Managing Director further said that the increased cost of the project, land acquisition and missed deadlines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other issues, would be discussed with the Japanese government to find a solution.
According to news agency ANI, a joint press conference on the status of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project was organized by NHSRCL Managing Director SC Agnihotri and Japan’s Ambassador to India Satoshi Suzuki. Significantly, in Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, 100 per cent civil contracts i.e. 352 km have been given to Indian contractors for the construction of the entire route.
The bullet train in Gujarat will have eight stations, namely Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand/Nadiad, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. Of these, Seu Surat station will be one of the largest stations in the high-speed rail project with a built up area of 48,234 sqm. Surat is famous for its diamond industry, so the interiors of the station will represent aspects of diamonds.
“Surat station will be completed by 2023 and it will be the first station of the project to be ready,” he said. This project has created 1.20 lakh direct and indirect jobs. He said that the project has provided 20,000 direct jobs and about one lakh indirect jobs in the state.
Meanwhile, Satoshi said that he has emphasized the transfer of technology to the Indian side through this project. NHSRCL will be a technology provider for other such high-speed rail projects in the country. Like Delhi Metro is providing consultancy to other metro projects in the country.
first published:April 12, 2022, 9:06 pm