VELLORE: Union Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has said that an interim report on the bullet train project would be submitted by a Japanese agency shortly and the detailed project report would be submitted by June next year. “The final report on the bullet train will be submitted by June next year by the Japanese agency with whom we have entered into an MoU. It will submit an interim report by next month,” the Union Minister said during a press conference at Katpadi Railway Station.
The Government is ambitious to implement the diamond quadrilateral high speed bullet trains’ project, much like former Prime Minister Vajpayee’s golden quadrilateral highways project, connecting all major cities, Gowda said adding that the study was on along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad stretch. The project will be implemented in this stretch first and extended across the country.
Gowda said the Centre had entered into an MoU with China for a high speed train project connecting the metros in South India, Chennai-Bangalore-Mangalore. The train would be operated at a speed of 152 to 160 km per hour. “The study is on and we expect a project report by March 15,” he said.
On the delay in Nagari-Tindivanam rail project, he said,“We need `5 lakh crore to complete all the pending and ongoing projects. But, we have only `60,000 crore in hand and that is why we are going for FDI and PPP.” Speaking about security of passengers, Gowda said, his ministry had recruited 1146 personnel for the RPF for Southern Railways to ensure safety and security of passengers. “Women personnel of RPF would be deployed in ladies coaches to ensure their safety. We are also looking into the complaints of surveillance mechanism and will take steps to improve it,” he said. Royapauram railway Station would be soon upgraded, he said.”
Urging railway employees and the public to take part in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan cleanliness drive to be undertaken on October 2, Gowda said the government had envisaged to make it a monthly event to keep the railway stations clean. He pointed out that bio-toilets had been fitted in 547 coaches in trains of Southern Railways adding, “All new coaches manufactured by the ICF and RCF are coming out with bio-toilets.”
The Minister also held a review meeting with General Manager of Southern Railways R Rakesh Misra, Divisional Railway Manager P K Misra and other officials on ongoing projects.