A senior government official has disclosed that India is preparing to unveil its own bullet train, capable of reaching speeds exceeding 250 kilometres per hour (kmph).

According to an official, this train is poised to surpass all existing trains within the Indian Railways network. The high-speed train, currently in development, is being constructed on the Vande Bharat platform, known for achieving a maximum speed of 220 kmph.

Additionally, it is currently under construction at the Indian Railways’ Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, with designs rapidly taking shape.

As per reports by ToI, high-speed trains such as the French TGV and the Japanese Shinkansen are acknowledged in the global arena for their capability to travel at speeds exceeding 250 kmph.

India's pursuit of high-speed rail has received international backing. While the Mumbai-Ahmedabad line is slated to be served by Japanese technology-driven bullet trains, currently under construction, India is progressing towards self-sufficiency in this domain. The Shinkansen E5 series trains, intended for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, offer speeds of up to 320 kmph.

India's progress towards high-speed rail has received international backing. While the Mumbai-Ahmedabad line is scheduled to be served by Japanese technology-driven bullet trains, which are currently under construction, India is now advancing towards self-sufficiency in this field. The Shinkansen E5 series trains, intended for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, feature speeds of up to 320 kmph.

According to the official, the focus is not solely on speed but also on efficiency. The new Vande Bharat trains are poised to accelerate from zero to 100 kmph in just 52 seconds, two seconds quicker than existing bullet trains.

Manufactured with pride by ICF, the Vande Bharat trains serve as a testament to India’s indigenous engineering capability and will operate on the recently announced north, south, and east corridors, highlighting the integration of Indian technology and domestic manufacturing.

These new corridors will complement the western corridor, a result of collaboration between India and Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing a soft loan of approximately Rs 40,000 crore for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, with the total project cost exceeding Rs 1.08 lakh crore.

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL), responsible for overseeing India's first bullet train project, achieved a significant milestone by completing 300 km of pier work.

Moreover, the comprehensive land acquisition process for the entire 508 km stretch was finalised in January, paving the way for India's journey towards high-speed rail excellence.

Image source: Times of India