JICA has already submitted its final report on the feasibility study of the proposed high-speed train on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in July this year, estimating that it would cost around Rs 98,805 crore.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has convinced the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) that the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train route should halt at Nashik, which is part of the Delhi-Mumbai International Corridor project, official sources said here today. According to Fadnavis, JICA has accepted his request and will study its feasibility.
Principal secretary to the Chief Minister's Office Praveen Singh Pardeshi confirmed that JICA has agreed to do so, though he did not elaborate about the detailed route of the proposed train. If the Nashik route is selected for the high-speed train, it would boost development of the North Maharashtra region, especially its tribal belt, he said.
JICA has already submitted its final report on the feasibility study of the proposed high-speed train on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in July this year, estimating that it would cost around Rs 98,805 crore.
Incidentally, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train happens to be Prime minister Narendra Modi's pet project. In his railway budget speech in March, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had said that "quick and appropriate action" to execute the project would be initiated after JICA submitted it's final report.
According to the initial proposal, the high-speed train would have halts at Thane (that will connect both Central and Navi Mumbai), Virar, Palghar, Vapi, Valsad and Ahmedabad. However, during his visit to Japan, Fadnavis requested JICA to change the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train's route on Friday, to include a halt at Nashik.
"I proposed to JICA that the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train should pass through Nashik and JICA agreed," Fadnavis said.
He said that JICA has assured fast-track funding for the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) project so that bidding can start by the end of December.
"JICA will start public consultation on Mumbai Metro next week and also support the bullet train project," Fadnavis said.
A high-speed train passing through Nashik proved to be a surprise even to the CM's official staff who were with him during his visit to Japan, an official said.
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