Is NHRCL preparing a DPR for a 300-350 kmph Bullet Train line from Delhi to Varanasi?

Admin

If Yes, then on what Authority??

Alok Kumar Verma, IRSE (Rtd.)

One year ago, In December, 2019, former Chairman Railway Board Mr V. K. Yadav told media that a feasibility study will be carried out and a DPR will be prepared for six high speed lines, including the line from Delhi to Varanasi.

He clarified that the feasibility study will examine whether these lines should be highspeed lines [300-350 kmph] or semi-highspeed lines [Speed 160-250 kmph].

On 29.01.2020, “Business Standard” quoted the Chairman, Mr V. K. Yadav as saying:

“We have identified these six corridors and their Detailed Project Reports (DPR) will be prepared within the year. The DPR will study the feasibility of these routes which includes land availability, alignment and a study of the traffic potential there. After these things are studied, we will decide if they will be high-speed or semi-high speed corridors.”

But, surprisingly, news media reports have started appearing recently that a DPR is being prepared for a Bullet Train line with 300-350 kmph speed.

The reports are saying that detailed ground survey and feasibility study has been started by a consultant who has been awarded contract for preparing DPR.

Things seem to be moving too fast as today (16/01/2021) TOI has reported details like:

i. route length (808 km),

ii. cost (INR 268 crore per km), and

iii. even fare (INR 3,400 for journey from Delhi to Varanasi).

These reports suggest that Railway Board has already taken a decision to build these lines as super-costly Bullet Train lines for 300-350 kmph. But, there seems to be no information from Railway Board to media regarding the basis of this decision.

At the above quoted cost of INR 268 crore per km, this line will cost a whopping INR 2.17 lakh crore, about twice the cost of the Mumbai – Ahmedabad Bullet Train line and about 3 times the combined cost of the Eastern and Western DFCs.

This will make this project, if actually undertaken, by a large margin, the costliest railway project so far in the history of India.

There is another important issue that concerns Gauge for the line. The reports say that this line, like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad line, will also be on Standard Gauge and not Broad Gauge.

This will render this line a standalone line disconnected from the Indian Railways network, which would be a big handicap.

There were infact three options for a high speed line from Delhi to Varanasi:

i. A 200-250 kmph Classic High Speed line (The term being used by Railway Board is Semi-High Speed line). Approximate cost for this option would be INR 50-60 crore per km, including cost of land.

ii. Upgrade the existing line on this route, which would cost just INR 15-20 crore per km.

iii. Bullet Train line on Broad Gauge, which would also cost about the same as as line on Standard Gauge. Russia has already started building Bullet Train line on Broad Gauge.

iv. There is no reason why a high speed train can not be built for the Indian Broad Gauge by the manufacturers of Bullet Trains.

In fact, 3 years ago in 2017, Seimens of Germany had offered to build Bullet Trains for the Indian Broad Gauge. But then Railway Board decided to build the Mumbai – Ahmedabad line on Standard Gauge.

Justification for doing so then was that this was a precondition of Japan to its soft loan, which, Railway Board claimed was extremely favourable.

Was a detailed study then done examining the relative merits and demerits of the option of building the line on Standard Gauge vis-a-vis Broad Gauge, taking into consideration all relevant facts, including the technical and financial package on offer from Japan?

There are no media or other reports in this regard in the public domain.

The question that arises is: Is Railway Board once again embarking hastily on a mega, super costly project without a proper, thoughtful examination of all available options?

It is worth recalling the manner in which Railway Board last year hastily gave in-principle approval for building the Thiruvananthapuram – Kasargod 200-250 kmph Semi-High Speed line on Standard Gauge.

I was the lead consultant for the Preliminary Feasibility Study for that line, and I know that decision to prepare a DPR for that line on Standard Gauge was taken without any study of the relative merits and demerits of the options of building the line on Standard Gauge or Broad Gauge.

As if that was not enough, Railway Board went on to even gave in-principle approval for undertaking the project without even the DPR just on the basis of a feasibility study that was done with an alignment prepared on Google Earth, which is extremely undesirable considering that the line passes through a challenging terrain of highlands and backwaters that is also prone to devastating flash floods from stream flowing down the steep slopes of Western Ghats mountains.

I have written posts about building standalone Bullet Train lines on Standard Gauge in India and the Feasibility Reports and approvals for the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod line for which links can be seen on twitter.

#NHRCL #BulletTrain #DPR #RailwayBoard