Name: K Jagadeswar Reddy,

FT No. : DM 16223
DOES INDIA NEED A BULLET TRAIN?

What is a Bullet train?
Bullet trains refers to high speed passenger trains, named so because of its sleek, aerodynamic
appearance and its speed usually ranges from 300-350 kilometres per hour.
Bullet trains cannot be used on the existing Indian tracks. They need special lines. According
to Forbes India, the costs for constructing such rail lines in India are estimated to be INR 70-100
crores per kilometre and the proposed Mumbai-Ahmedabad route of 500km, will cost INR 37,000
crores to build and with the land acquisition the cost will go up to about INR 60,000 crores.
Does India need a Bullet train?
The answer is yes.
Nothing empowers people and businesses like infrastructure does. Thanks to the present
government for focusing primarily on the development of infrastructure.
India has the one of the largest railway network in the world but the infrastructure and the speed
of railway has not increased comparatively. Many small countries are having bullet trains and
China has the worlds longest such network with 8,358 km of tracks but India is stuck at a top
speed of 120kmph.
Bullet trains uses the resources very efficiently be it in time, land, energy. Bullet trains can reduce
the time of travel by 40% to 50%. The average speed of Indian rail ranges from 59km/h to 93km/h
whereas the average speed of a bullet train ranges from 200-250 km/h. High speed trains (HST) or
Bullet trains are beneficial especially for short journeys (150-900) for which the train can beat air
and car trip time. For journeys under about 700 km, traveling to and from the airport as well as the
process of checking in and going through airport security makes the total air journey time equal to
or slower than HST.
A standard two way railway track will have 13% greater capacity than a 6-lane highway and
requires only 40% of the land that is required to construct a highway. The High Speed Trains are
the most environment friendly and energy efficient system of mass transportation. The high-speed
train has the lowest emission of Green House Gasses of all types of passenger rail transport. By
using the most efficient means of mass public transport, number of vehicles travelling on the
ground will be reduced and can help directly to reduce the carbon footprint.
High speed trains reduces the distance between the major cities and second-tier cities. The lower
time travel can change the nature of economic activities in a region by increasing the ease of
accessibility for employees, as well as improving the accessibility to suppliers and required
material. High speed rail services can assist different business run efficiently and create a dynamic
economic zone. High speed trains will benefit all industries and can take Indias manufacturing
share to 25% of GDP.
In order to provide job to the biggest youth population in the world, India need to change itself
into Worlds Manufacturer. In a country where the construction of a metro rail takes more than
5 years the question about how long will it take to construct a high speed rail is out of anyones
imagination. The present government has taken the right step by initiating the high speed rail
project. The government can reduce the financial burden by operating it under Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) mode and work out innovative funding and cost cut operations by planning the
high-speed corridors in the vacant railway land. It might sound ambitious to many people but the
direct and indirect benefits of the high speed trains outweighs the problems against it.






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