Bullet trains will transform Indian Railways says Railway Minister

Ahead of Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the bullet train project, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said the country’s rail network will be transformed and revolutionised with the initiative. Recently appointed Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, speaking on India’s most ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project, said that train has not seen a single accident in Japan.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given directions for a holistic development of the Indian Railways,” Goyal said, adding, India’s transport sector is all set to change and “it is indeed a matter of celebration.”

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe will also be visiting India to attend the ‘Bhoomi Poojan’ and foundation stone laying ceremony of the Rs. 97,636-crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail link, using Japanese bullet-train technology.

During the visit, Prime Minister Abe will also hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi and is expected to serve as the “top salesman” for the adoption of the Shinkansen technology by other Indian railway systems, with China also aiming to win orders for the projects, the Japan Times had reported, earlier in August.

The 500-km railway will link Mumbai and Ahmedabad in Western India, with services planned to commence in 2023. This train is based on Japanese high-speed technology called Shinkansen, known for its safety and comfort.

India has pledged to build high-speed railways, focused on the four major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.