BENGALURU: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday hinted that the proposed Bengaluru-Pune bullet train corridor could be among the next set of high-speed rail projects, with another 3,000 km of corridors slated for announcement in the coming years.
He announced that the Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express would be introduced within the next few weeks, as electrification and testing on the route had been completed.
Speaking after flagging off the inaugural run of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Bengaluru and Mumbai, Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved 4,000 km of bullet train corridors, with another 3,000 km planned for announcement in the coming years as India advances towards the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India).
"Another 3,000 kilometres of bullet train corridors will be announced in the coming years, and there will be many more corridors like Bengaluru-Pune, which covers entire Karnataka, from Bengaluru towards Hubballi, all the way to Pune. That corridor will be covered as well," he said.
Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H D Kumaraswamy, Ministers of State V Somanna and Shobha Karandlaje, and Members of Parliament Tejasvi Surya, P C Mohan and C N Manjunath, among others, were present.
Vaishnaw said the proposed southern bullet train corridor, which had already received the PM's approval, would connect Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Amaravati and Chennai, bringing major economic and technology centres in southern India closer.
"This will basically combine these large economies, technology capitals, into one large economy. This will be a huge multiplier for the states in South India," he said.
Giving an indication of the travel times envisaged under the project, Vaishnaw said the journey between Bengaluru and Chennai would take just 73 minutes, while the Bengaluru-Hyderabad journey would take two hours and 10 minutes.
"Bengaluru to Chennai will be 73 minutes only. One hour and 13 minutes. These two cities will become one city," he said.
On the Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat service, the minister said the necessary electrification and testing work had been completed and the train would be introduced within the next few weeks.
"Within the next few weeks, we will have Mangaluru to Bengaluru Vande Bharat. Bengaluru to Mangaluru Vande Bharat, we will very soon have, and that will connect the entire region with very good, world-class high-speed connectivity," he said.
Highlighting the importance of coastal Karnataka, Vaishnaw said Mangaluru, Udupi and the region extending towards Karwar and Goa were important destinations requiring improved rail connectivity.
The minister credited Modi’s leadership for the expansion of railway infrastructure and other development initiatives, citing new trains, redevelopment of railway stations, Bengaluru’s suburban rail network, metro expansion and the growth of semiconductor and electronics manufacturing.
He also referred to India’s growing capabilities in defence manufacturing and its push for self-reliance.