Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor to cost Rs.63,000 crore

New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) The Indian Railways' ambition to develop a high speed rail corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is estimated to cost Rs.63,000 crore.

According to a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said two feasibility studies have been conducted on the corridor.

"Two studies - one a joint feasibility study, co-financed by India and Japan, and the other a business development study by French Railways (SNCF) - have been undertaken," the reply said.

"Expenditure estimated on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Corridor is approximately Rs.63,000 crore."

The minister of state said the high speed rail project will have to be taken up through a mix of government support, multilateral funding and by alternative means of resource mobilization, including Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

The minister informed the house that for semi-high speed trains (160-200 kmph), the sections have also been identified.

"Feasibility study for semi-high speed (up to 200 kmph) between Mumbai-Delhi and Mumbai-Ahmedabad was conducted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and report submitted in March 2014," the minister said.

Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Chandigarh, Delhi-Kanpur, Nagpur-Bilaspur, Mysore-Bangalore-Chennai, Mumbai-Goa, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Chennai-Hyderabad and Nagpur-Secunderabad are identified as sectors where semi-high speed trains will run.

However, the minister did not divulge any time line for project completion for both the projects.

Earlier, while presenting his maiden budget, Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said that the first dedicated bullet train project will be launched on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.

The minister proposed an outlay of Rs.100 crore for infrastructure development for the projects.