High Speed Rail is a variation of rail transport that runs much faster (speed above 250 kmph) than the traditional railways. It uses an integrated system of rolling stock and dedicated tracks. Such a mode of transport in a country can be seen as a development parameter if it is a success. In India, NHSRCL has launched the first bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and currently, it is under construction. However, this leads to a question. Does India need High Speed Rail? If yes, then would it be suitable or, say, appropriately utilized?
High Speed Rail is available in only a few high-income countries. Others have failed in their efforts, and some haven’t even considered it. The main issue being the enormous costs involved. In India, High Speed rail does not justify itself much on the grounds of economy and whether it will be useful to a larger section of people.
There are some advantages of the project. It may lead to decongestion on the roads. It will save travel time, and in cities where time is money, industries will flourish. Migration between cities may also get reduced if commuting between them gets easier. Bullet trains are much safer than the other trains, and the primary concern of Indian Railways, which is safety, will not be an issue for the High Speed Rail. Bullet trains are environment friendly, and the emissions of CO2 is way less compared to automobiles and aeroplanes. It will help in infrastructure development, may boost the economy and create new jobs and employment opportunities.
It is evident that for a project involving such enormous costs, the fare of availing it would be high. For example, if we consider Mumbai and Ahmedabad, the price may range between Rs. 4000- Rs. 5000. Whereas, airfares between the two cities are around Rs. 2500. Thus, this rail transport would be just for the rich people of the country, who are willing to pay such a huge fare and want to get their travel time reduced considerably.
India is dependent on Japan for this project, as it does not have the indigenous, High Speed rail technology. Plus, 81% of the project cost is financed by Japan at an interest rate of 0.01% for 50 years. This rate might seem tempting, but in reality, it is not. Other countries which have High Speed rail running are independent.
Investment for such expensive projects is willingly made. Projects which will only serve the upper classes. When 90% of the Indian Public is not going to travel in these, shouldn’t there be an investment in upgrading services and new tracks for the Indian Railways? It’s true that having a bullet train can affect the technology absorption in the country and may make our country look good on a global scale, but on a ground level, the project does not seem feasible.
India is developing rapidly and soon aims to be the third-largest economy. Having a high-speed rail network will boost its international status. If the pros and cons of the project are correctly weighed, and the government chooses wisely, then this will surely be a technological development for the country. Thus, whether or not High Speed rail is necessary is not an argument to make. Instead of criticizing, it’s about aiming at what is best for the country.
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