NE NEWS SERVICE
MUMBAI, FEB 6
The Union government has allocated Rs.5,600 crore for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project for the financial year 2020-21. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to complete the ‘dream project’ by 2022, to mark the 75th year of Independence.
Apart from the Centre’s contribution, there is also a move to get Rs. 5,000 crore from Maharashtra and Gujarat. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday likened the bullet train project to a “white elephant”, saying a decision on it will be taken only after he is convinced it will boost industrial development of the state.
“Who will benefit from the bullet train? How will trade and industry in Maharashtra get a boost because of it? If it is useful, convince me and then let’s go before people and decide what to do,” PTI had quoted the chief minister as saying.
In her budget speech last Saturday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that the high-speed train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad would be “actively pursued”.
The 508-km-long high-speed corridor will cut down travel time between the two cities to around three hours, and will have 12 stations. Of the 508.17 km-long bullet train corridor, 155.76 km will be in Maharashtra, 348.04 km in Gujarat and 4.3 km in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on September 14, 2017 laid the foundation stone of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, which is estimated to cost Rs.1.08 lakh crore.
