With the final feasibility report of the proposed Pune to Mumbai to Ahmedabad rail corridor expected to be submitted by the month end, the Railways is gearing up for setting up an independent authority to plan and execute the bullet train project.

National High Speed Rail Authority, a first of its kind in the country is being planned to execute the high-speed rail corridor plan. It would be a focused independent body comprising experts.

A senior Railway Ministry official said that "The exercise is on to constitute the authority at the earliest.”

While the basic functioning of the body will be for planning, standard setting, implementation and monitoring the ambitious project, the details are being worked out. About the pattern being adopted for the authority. He added that "We are examining various provisions of different agencies like California High Speed Rail Authority to decide on it."

Railways have identified six routes as possible high speed corridors for running bullet trains at the speed of 250 to 350 km per hour. The official said that "While we have undertaken the feasibility study of Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, the next route to be taken up for similar study is Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar sector.”

Termed as 'Golden Corridor', the Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar route will have a one km long passenger corridor, the construction of which is estimated to cost about INR 50 crore to INR 70 crore.

The official said that "Draft report of the Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad route has been submitted by the consultant and the final report is expected to be submitted by the month end.”

(Sourced from deccanherald.com)

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