India’s first indigenous bullet train is likely to start being tested by May or June next year, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said. He added that the testing would continue for two to four months, after which the high-speed train would be inaugurated.Vaishnaw said construction work on the project was moving ahead at a fast pace. The Surat-Vapi section, he added, is expected to be completed by December this year.He also spoke about wider changes being undertaken across Indian Railways, saying efforts were underway to modernise its operating and reservation systems along with the methods used for railway construction.“We are reforming and modernising everything–from operating systems and reservation systems to old construction protocols,” he said.
Bullet train: First body shell ready for squeeze test
Addressing the ‘NaMo for Viksit Bharat’ event in Vadodara, Vaishnaw said the first body frame of the bullet train had recently been completed and sent for a squeeze test.“By May or June of next year, India’s own bullet train will be on the tracks for testing. After a testing period of 2-4 months, the bullet train will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister himself,” Vaishnaw said.The minister said the project was being developed in keeping with the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. He also highlighted the reduction in travel time that the bullet train is expected to bring between Vadodara and Mumbai.“When you ride the bullet train from Vadodara, you will reach Mumbai in just an hour and a half,” the minister said.As part of the effort to upgrade freight operations, Vaishnaw also pointed to the development of new wagon designs, including a specialised wagon meant for transporting salt.The minister said a number of railway projects that had remained pending for a long time have now been completed. Among the projects he highlighted were the Chenab Bridge and the railway connectivity project linking Mizoram to the national railway network.He said 280 railway stations had been redeveloped, while 36,000 km of new railway tracks had been developed. Vaishnaw also said work on cargo trains incorporating Vande Bharat technology was nearing completion.According to the minister, railway development has gathered pace despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first section of the project was completed in 2020, following which construction on the remaining sections picked up speed.“The modern face of Indian Railways that is emerging will benefit many future generations,” Vaishnaw said.
Indian Railways’ ‘Make in India’ bullet train
Indian Railways is working on what is being described as a major engineering effort to develop a high-speed train capable of running at 280 kmph by early 2027. The first prototype is targeted for rollout by March 2027, after which it will undergo extensive testing by RDSO.India could have its first bullet train service in operation in 2027. The Surat-Bilimora stretch of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is expected to be commissioned by August that year.The development of India’s bullet trains is being planned in two stages. The first generation of trainsets will have a designed operating speed of 280 kmph, while later versions are expected to eventually achieve speeds of up to 350 kmph.Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, has awarded BEML Limited an Rs 866.87-crore contract covering the design, manufacture and commissioning of two prototype bullet trains, or high-speed trainsets. These trains will be capable of exceeding 250 kmph, with a design speed of 280 kmph.BEML has set up a dedicated ‘Aditya’ High-Speed Rail Complex in Bengaluru to manufacture the high-speed trains as part of efforts to support domestic production.Both trainsets being developed under the contract will consist of eight coaches each.The trains will comprise fully air-conditioned chair-car coaches and offer passenger amenities described as world-class. Their equipment will include advanced onboard infotainment systems, as well as reclining and rotatable seats. Dedicated facilities for divyangjans will also be available.The high-speed trainsets, which carry the codename B-28, will be manufactured using advanced precision-driven technologies.High-speed trains used in countries such as Japan and across Europe are generally designed to operate in cold-weather conditions. The trains being developed for India, however, will need to be engineered keeping the country’s heat and dust conditions in mind.Indian Railways currently plans to use stainless steel for manufacturing these bullet trains. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has already said that the next generation of bullet trains will be developed to operate at speeds of 350 kmph.
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