The draft model of the proposed Rs 250 crore ‘Charkha’ modeled Sabarmati Bullet Train Station is ready. The premises have been themed on the famous Dandi March by Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat in 1931. While the first operations in some sections of the Mumbai-Ahemdabad Bullet train would take place in
2022, the dynamic tariff has been worked out with maximum being Rs 3,000 and minimum Rs 250 for any two intermittent stations.
Chairman Railway Board Ashwani lohani said that the proposed bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will be made fully operational by 2023, however, some sections of 500-km route will become operational in 2022 itself.
“Bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will be made fully operational by 2023, while it will be made operational in some sections in 2022. We are moving ahead as per our plan on the project,” lohani told The Pioneer.
National High Speed Rail Corporation ltd (NHSRCl) Managing Director Achal Khare said construction work under the project could start as early as December this year, by which time land acquisition is expected to be over. The Ministry would require 1,415 hectare of land for the project, and has earmarked Rs 10,000 crore for its acquisition.
The first world class railway station of the country, the Sabarmati Bullet Train Station complex, will have three-level parking space for 1,500 vehicles for people who require a day journey up and down and can park their vehicle on the station premises. While one level
will be for car, another will be for bus and the third will be for general vehicles like auto rickshaws etc.
The theme of the station will be based on Dandi March with carved images spread on the facades while the upper design, or the bird’s eye view of the station building will appear to be as Charkha which too was an apparatus used by Gandhi and has since then become a symbol of indigenous in India.
The Bullet Train Station at Sabarmati will be connected to two modal transports which are the metro station and also the Indian railway station.
“The design is Sabarmati passenger terminal hub. Sabarmati station will be nearly 400 meters from this building. It will be connected through Foot Over Bridge (FOB). The terminal will facilitate all modes of transport like metro, railways, bus stand and the bullet train Sabarmati station,” said NHSRCl PRO Dhananjay Kumar.
Khare also shared the fare structure based on present projections and calculations. “It would be Rs 3,000 between Mumbai and Ahmedabad and as low as Rs 250, for instance, between Banda-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Thane. The fares have been based on present projections and calculations. There would be one business class and the fares for this is likely to be higher than Rs 3,000,” said Khare.
The bullet train will cover 70 trips per day between Mumbai-Ahmedabad and each rake will have 10 state-of-the-art coaches with onboard catering facilities and train will have a maximum speed of 350 km per hour covering the stretch in less than three hours from the existing 7-9 hours on the stretch. The bullet train will have 12 stations including four in Maharashtra. Khare mentioned that Indian contractors would build 460 km while Japan would be involved only in the construction of only 21 km under sea.