This refers to the editorial, “The need is for speed” (September 15). Indeed, safety of rail passengers should be non-negotiable at any cost, but it would not be right to say that we should not have a bullet train at this juncture. When we know that the funding of this mega project is being done by Japan, that too at very nominal rates of 0.1 per cent for an astonishing 50 years tenure, and that too with 15 years principal moratorium, there is no reason we should not embark on this journey now. Moreover, with Japan's technical support and guidance, our Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises enterprises will flourish around this project and ‘Make in India’ will get the desired boost and direction. With proper training, there will be around 20,000 odd people who will not only be employed with this project but later on, they can also be absorbed some where else with their knowledge and experience.
Moreover, this project can be used as a model to upgrade technology and overall standards of the railways. And some of the cities in route will also get a major face lift, in turn giving employment opportunity to thousands of people, so it is going to have a multiplier effect. All in all, the deal looks good but strict monitoring of the project's progress is the least our Government can do to convert this dream into reality.