The system is highly stretched on main trunk routes, which carry bulk of the passenger and freight traffic. The Indian Railways, with a network of over 65,806 route km of railway lines is the backbone of the nationвЂ™s transportation system for passenger and freight traffic. With this perspective вЂ“ that years of detailed thought and planning went into the announcement of the first bullet train project in India вЂ“ some of the issues raised can be addressed.ДЇirst, questions have been raised on the very need for bullet trains. Regarding the other high speed routes on the diamond quadrilateral, studies are being commissioned.вЂќ The feasibility study of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor was submitted in July 2015 and the process culminated with the signing of the MoU between India and Japan on 12th December 2015. Quick and appropriate action will be taken once the report is available with us. The feasibility study for this is in advanced stage and report is expected by the mid of this year. The Union Minister of Railways, Suresh Prabhu, while delivering his 2015-16 railway budget in Parliament, announced вЂњwe will continue to pursue with vigour our special projects like High Speed Rail between Mumbai-Ahmadabad. Earlier, in February of the same year, an expert Group on Modernization of Indian Railways, had submitted a reportВ which among other things had recommended construction of a High Speed railway line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad and for undertaking feasibility studies on six other different alignments. The High Speed Rail Corporation of India Limited was set up in July 2012 as a subsidiary of the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited with the express purpose of developing and implementing high speed rail projects in India. Before venturing to address some of these issues, a bit of history is in order. The American economy witnessed spectacular growth for a sustained period in the years following the launch of this program and the highways program is credited as one of the major contributors in that growth story.ДЄs India and Japan signed an MoU for High Speed Rail Project, more popularly referred to as Bullet Train project, during the recent Indian visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, a debate has ensued on the various dimensions of the project. вЂњItвЂ™ll cost far less to act now than it would to delay until further damage is doneвЂќ is how President Ronald Reagan introduced his ambitious Highways and Bridge Repair program to the American audience during a radio address delivered on 27th November 1982.

Bullet trains