The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) is preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed 766-km bullet train corridor between Mumbai and Nagpur.
The DPR is expected to be submitted to the government in early next year. Officials said a series of surveys, including the lidar survey, aerial survey, social impact assessment (SIA) and environmental impact assessment (EIA), have been completed for the Mumbai-Nagpur bullet train project. “The data collected is being analysed for the DPR,” said an official.
The bullet train project will pass through 10 districts. Land would be needed to be acquired in some districts, said officials. The project is aimed at reducing the travel time between the two cities by over 50 per cent.
“Currently, by road, it takes around 12 hours to reach Nagpur from Mumbai, and the bullet train is expected to reduce the time to four hours,” said an official. “Once the government sanctions the project, the further procedure will be decided,” the official added.
The possibility of running bullet trains parallel to Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg are being also explored, said officials. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation is constructing a six-lane 700 km of expressway between Mumbai and Nagpur.