PPP for high speed rail in India
Date
November 04, 2011
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An all India seminar on 'High Speed Trains - "Issues and Options" was held here today jointly organized by:- the Institution of Engineers (India) - Delhi State Centre,
- IET (UK) - Delhi Local Network and
- Institution of Railway Electrical Engineers (IREE).
The Minister of State for Railways, Shri K.H.Muniyappa was the Chief Guest and Member Electrical, Railway Board, Shri Kul Bhushan was the Guest of Honour at the seminar.
Let me include here the main points from the government's press release:
Shri Muniyappa said that:
- The then Railway Minister, Mamata Banerjee in her Budget Speech of 2010-11 announced setting up of National High Speed Rail Authority for planning, standard setting, implementing and monitoring of construction of High Speed Passenger Rail Corridors.
- Railways have already identified six corridors and has initiated action on pre-feasibility studies for them.
- The Railways desire the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode for investment and execution, and draw on frontier technologies incorporating the highest standards of safety and service quality.
- High Speed executed rail corridor will become a catalyst for India's economic growth, a stimulus for the development of satellite towns and reduction of migration to metropolises, he said.
Shri Muniyappa also said that:
- Around the world some 40,000 Kms of High Speed Rail tracks are under construction.
- High Speed Rail is environment friendly and will reduce the Green House Effect.
- High Speed Rail in the country will help to achieve mobility with lesser pollution.
- It will create manufacturing capability resulting in employment opportunity.
- The infrastructure creation will create meaningful jobs both in construction as well as maintenance and operations.
Shri Kul Bhushan, Member Electrical, Railway Board, said that:
- At present the maximum speed of passenger trains on Indian railway network is 150 kmph.
- With the commissioning of Dedicated Freight Corridors, capacity would be released along the existing trunk routes and these would be upgraded to run passenger trains and EMUs at 200 kmph.
- A study is being carried out by Government of Japan for up grading speed of New Delhi-Mumbai route to 200 kmph.
About high speed rail, Shri Kul Bhushan said that:
- The immense economic benefits of high speed rail are inducing Governments worldwide to introduce it on a large scale.
- High speed rail encourages economic development by providing fast and efficient transportation with less energy intensity and savings in journey time and total resource cost to the country compared to other modes of transport.
- High speed rail network links cities together into integrated regions that can lead to a stronger economic growth.
- It also broadens labour market and offers higher mobility to workers.
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