Kankaria may be India’s 1st bullet train stop

The railway yard at the Kankaria lake may one day become the station at which passengers arrive from Mumbai, feeling exhilarated and fresh after riding on a bullet train that shoots between destinations at 300 kmph.

As of now however, this rocket-on-wheels, being envisioned for
the Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Pune route, is still in very early stages
of planning.

Sources in the Western Railway’s Ahmedabad division said that a December 2009 feasibility report on the 533 km track covering the three stations suggested that the route could be ideal for running India’s first high-speed train.

What gives hope to the officials is the fact that the feasibility report, submitted to the railway board, has secured an in-principle approval.

“Laying tracks for the bullet train will cost up to Rs250 crore per kilometre,” a top railway official said.  “We are hopeful that the project will commence after the rail budget.” 

The feasibility study was carried out by Systra of France and Italferr of Italy, along with RITES (a government of India undertaking).