(Image source from: dnaindia.com)
Railways now expects the project to be completely commissioned by October 2028 instead of the original timeline of December 2023.
India’s first bullet train project has been stuck on multiple fronts and is now expected to be completed in around 5 years from now.
The reason could be because of low participation by the Japanese companies and the tenders being canceled because of the steep rates quoted by the bidders.
Indian Railways is now expecting the project to be commissioned by October 28 instead of the original timeline of December 2023. The revised timeline has been estimated after the talks with the Japanese team that is working on the project.
A senior official told the Indian Express that the timeline might be compressed for a bit and if all the outstanding issues are settled quickly the timeline might not be extended to a great extent.
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is being constructed with an 80 percent loan from Japan at 0.1 percent interest and a 15-year moratorium with the system to be built mostly with Japanese technology on the lines of the Shinkansen.
India had been keen on opening at least a portion of the bullet train project by August 2022 to coincide with 75 years of Indian independence.
The Railway officials still maintain that the original timeline is still in place.
The tender for the most crucial section which is a 21-km underground stretch including a 7-km stretch under the sea near Mumbai did not find Japanese participation and could not be finalized in the first attempt this year.
Meanwhile, in many of the 11 tenders originally meant to be executed by the Japanese companies, the prices quoted were up to 90 percent higher than the estimated indicated by the project consultants.
Moreover, India has refused to accept the huge escalation in prices.
The construct of the mere 21-km stretch would require large and advanced boring machines that would employ a special technical method to safeguard the flamingo sanctuary in Maharashtra and this would require over 60 months to complete.
The other area of concern that could prompt a delay is the procurement of rolling stock. As per the Japanese, only Kawasaki and Hitachi would be able to supply the trains. However, it was found that both the companies could jointly submit one bid which the Indian side does not agree with.
A Joint Committee meeting between India and Japan which could not take place in anytime in the near future due to the COVID outbreak is expected to resolve the outstanding issues as they are beyond the purview of the ministry or the implementing agencies.
Moreover, PM Modi’s personal rapport with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe which could enable the earlier completion is also now held back due to the stepping down of Shinzo Abe as the PM.
The Railways has also taken a policy to allow the Indian companies to participate in the tenders for the civil construction of the 21-km stretch and the tracks.
By Gayatri Yellayi
