11,376 Special Trains During Festivals and Holidays in 2023

Jaipur: To cater to the increased passenger load during festivals and holidays, Indian Railways ran a total of 11,376 special trains in 2023. This information was provided by Union Minister of Railways, Communications, and Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

According to the minister, 527 Holi special trains, 6,369 summer special trains, and 4,480 Chhath/Diwali special trains were operated during the year. Additionally, to meet the extra demand, the number of trains was increased on both permanent and temporary bases.

In another development, the Indian Railways has planned to manufacture 10,000 non-AC coaches, including general class and sleeper class coaches, to meet the growing demand.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project Update

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is underway, and the project will pass through Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The project's length is 508 kilometres, and it involves the construction of 12 stations in Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati. The project's approved cost is Rs 1,08,000 crore. The entire land required for the project, spanning 1389.5 hectares, has been acquired. So far, 350 kilometres of pier foundation, 316 kilometres of pier construction, 221 kilometres of girder casting, and 190 kilometres of girder launching have been completed. The work on the underwater tunnel (approximately 21 kilometres) has also begun.

The bullet train project is a highly complex and technology-intensive project, and it has been designed in collaboration with the Japanese Railways, taking into account Indian requirements and climatic conditions. The project's completion timeline will be determined after the completion of all related works, including civil structure, track, electrical, signalling, telecommunication systems, and trainset supply.

(By Satish Chandra Sharma, Jaipur)