With 7 new corridors, India will be 100% atmanirbhar in making Bullet trains, Pg15

Key Highlights:

• India announced seven new high-speed rail corridors to be built using indigenous technologies.
• The corridors include Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Siliguri.
• These corridors will span approximately 4,000 km with an estimated investment of Rs 16 lakh crore.
• The goal is to achieve 100% self-reliance (atmanirbhar) in high-speed rail technology and manufacturing.
• Land acquisition is identified as a major challenge for the timely completion of these projects.
• The first bullet train project, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail, is currently under construction with Japanese collaboration.
• The East-West Dedicated Freight Corridor aims to connect industries in central India to ports on the East and West coasts.

Detailed Insights:

• The selection of the seven corridors prioritizes connectivity between major economic centers like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru, forming a "high-speed diamond".
• The Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor is expected to stimulate economic development along its route, similar to the Tokyo-Osaka high-speed rail in Japan.
• Indigenous technologies will be used for track work, viaducts, pillars, foundations, overhead electrical systems, advanced stations, and signaling systems.
• The design of high-speed trains requires careful attention to wheel-track interaction, pantograph design for current collection, and airtight train construction to manage vacuum effects.
• The first bullet train project faced delays due to design complexities, the COVID-19 pandemic, and land acquisition issues.
• The East-West Dedicated Freight Corridor will connect industries in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha to ports like Paradip and the future Vadhvan Port.
• Indian Railways is focusing on increasing the number of general coaches and introducing Vande Bharat Sleeper trains to improve travel for low-income passengers.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Atmanirbhar: Self-reliance or self-sufficiency, especially in manufacturing and technology.
• Detailed Project Report (DPR): A comprehensive report outlining the plan, cost, and feasibility of a project.
• Viaduct: An elevated structure used to carry a road or railway across a valley or other obstacle.