The pace of having a bullet train in India was fast-tracked on Thursday with China assuring to share its expertise and assistance to prepare a feasibility study report.
The Indian Railways joined hands with China in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to also increase speed in its existing rail network besides the modernisation of stations and enhancement of mutual cooperation in the railway sector in the country.
While the Railways have identified Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore section to run trains with speed upto 160 km per hour with the help from China, the dragon country will also redevelop the Bhubaneswar and Bangalore railway stations.
As per the action plan on the proposed semi-high speed, China will conduct design and survey for the specified sections and also impart training to railway personnel on speed-raising. Railways will advise the proposed rail route before October and it will provide all necessary technical policies, documents and facilitation for the project survey. China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group and other enterprises of China will undertake work related to this cooperation.
According to a railway official, both the countries signed 12 MoU to enhance cooperation in the railway sector in speed-raising on the identified route and studying feasibility of cooperation in bullet train projects, heavy-haul transportation training of Indian Railway personnel and redevelopment of railway stations and setting up of a Railway University in India among others. The MoUs were signed by Chairman Railway Board Arunendra Kumar and Administrator of China’s National Railway Administration lu Dongfu.
On training of heavy-haul transportation, the two sides have agreed on a training programme for batches of 20 trainees for duration of two-three weeks and a total of 5 batches with maximum of three training programmes in a year. There will be emphasis on onsite training covering operational and maintenance facilities, monitoring systems and traffic control.
While the Beijing Jiaotong University will start the first training programme next month onwards, both the sides also agreed that the Chinese experience of Rail Universities will provide very useful inputs to develop a Railway University in India as proposed in the Budget.