13.9.19

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train fare to be ₹ 3000

National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd managing director Achal Khare told media that the one-way fare of the high speed rail (bullet train) between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is estimated to be Rs.3,000 at current rates. Khare gave the figure on the basis of a ‘willingness to pay survey’ carried out by the Indo-Japanese joint venture during feasibility report.

The train, with an average speed of 320 kmph, will cover the distance of 508 km in two hours seven minutes.

Answering a question about possible pricing of the much-awaited bullet train — with the project deadline set for December 2023, Khare said that a number of factors affect the pricing decision and it is difficult to ascertain a number for the future. “But the ‘willingness to pay survey’ carried out by us showed that passengers including those travelling by airlines and railways were ready to pay 1.5 times the fare of a first-class coach. In general terms, it comes to around Rs.3,000 at current rates,” he said.

NHSRCL officials unveiled the concept designs for upcoming stations at Sabarmati and Saraspur near Kalupur along with the plans for the multi-modal transport hub at Kalupur and Sabarmati. On the sidelines of the event, the officials said that at its peak, the bullet train project will have 70 trains — 35 up and 35 down — from Sabarmati in Ahmedabad and Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

Khare told reporters that about 50% of the land acquisition — 2,600-plus plots out of the required 5,400-plus privately-owned ones in Gujarat has been completed with consent agreement with payment done. “In quantity, it comes to about 360 hectare,” he said.

The high-speed rail authority has issued tenders for four major civil works on the route including construction of viaducts and an undersea tunnel in Maharashtra. The work is likely to start by March-April 2020.

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