Delhi-Varanasi bullet train project hits roadblock, Railway Board rejects feasibility report | India News

NEW DELHI: The planned high-speed rail corridor between Delhi and Varanasi has encountered a roadblock with the railway board rejecting the feasibility report on the project, citing several curves along the line that will not be suitable for a 350 km/h high-speed train, sources said. The sources said the decision was made at a meeting held by Railway Committee Secretary RN Singh last week to review the high-speed train project.
The feasibility study report was submitted by the National High Speed ​​Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).
The feasibility report proposed building the corridor along National Highway-2. This will help to acquire land at cheaper prices and reduce construction costs.
However, the technical problem that led to the proposal being rejected outright was that NH-2 had curved sections at many points between Delhi and Varanasi, which would make it very dangerous for a train to travel at 350 kilometers per hour, a source available said at the meeting.
“In order to run a high-speed train at 350 km/h, the route of the high-speed corridor should be straight,” the source said.
While NHSRCL is keen to start work on the project, the railway authority is cautious, particularly given the delays and road closures in the ongoing Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project.
Due to the delays, sources said, the estimated cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project will rise to Rs 1.50 lakhcrore. Officials said about Rs 200 crore per kilometer will be spent to build the high-speed corridor.
The Railway Board has suggested that the focus for now should be on only running half-speed Vande Bharat trains at speeds of 160-200km/h. Officials said around 400 such trains will be available over the next three years and can be used on various routes.