New Maharashtra govt, bullet train work on fast track: Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

AHMEDABAD: Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union railways, communications, electronics & IT minister, on Tuesday said with the change in the government in Maharashtra, they are hopeful of expediting the bullet train project in the state.
The minister was speaking at a press conference at Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India after his interaction with students and industry leaders on the theme of Digital India and entrepreneurship.
Answering a question on the progress of the bullet train project - which will connect Ahmedabad to Mumbai - the minister said the land acquisition is complete and work has already started on the Gujarat stretch. "In Maharashtra, work did not progress during the last government... Now, as the public has changed the government, we are hoping to speed up the work," he said referring to hurdles posed by the Uddhav Thackerey-led MVA government which was recently replaced by rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde-BJP coalition.
Compared to complete land acquisition in Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli UT, acquisition is about 71% in Maharashtra, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd had said in June. Most importantly, there has been no land acquisition in Mumbai. The tender for Bandra-Kurla Complex and a tunnel between Thane and Virar were cancelled due to alleged political tug-of-war.
'Bullet train completion depends on Maharashtra progress'
With the new government with BJP as partner in power, the railway authorities are hopeful of expediting the land acquisition, which is the first crucial step towards establishing the high-speed railway line.
Later during the conference, he added that the project in Maharashtra would take off once the authorities acquire land (required for the project). "The overall project's completion depends on how the work progresses in Maharashtra," he said.
In another response on deadline for the ambitious project, Vaishnaw said that the trial run would take place between Surat and Bilimora - a distance of 48 km and the trial run would take place in 2026.
"For Ahmedabad to Vapi stretch - which is 352 km - we expect it to be complete by 2027. Irrespective of (the work in) Maharashtra, the work has started, and it will continue in Gujarat... The pillars are already up on a 70 km stretch, whereas foundation is laid on a 160 km stretch," said the minister. "The work is going on at rapid speed - there are about 7-8 rivers on the route on which the bridges are being constructed. The stations are also being constructed."
He added that the length of stretch in Gujarat is adequate for bullet trains on its own, saying that the first bullet train in China had a track of 113 km. Vaishnaw also outlined a project for modernizing railways in Gujarat and said that 17 stations would be redeveloped in the state from foundation up. Ahmedabad station would be made 'world-class' at the cost of Rs 3,800 crore, he said.