Will Delhi-Siliguri Bullet Train (Bullet Train India) really make the journey in 6 hours? Will this new corridor completely transform India’s railway network? What will be the real impact of 60 metro rakes and freight corridors in Kolkata? Will funding and political disputes hinder these projects?
Kolkata/New Delhi: A new chapter is going to be added in the history of Indian Railways, which will astound the senses of the passengers across North and East India. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav on Saturday announced a mega project for West Bengal, which hardly anyone had imagined. Now the journey from the country’s capital Delhi to Siliguri (New Jalpaiguri) is not going to take days or hours, but is going to be completed in the blink of an eye. Ever since the announcement of the Bullet Train Project by the Railway Minister, the stir in the political and social circles has intensified.
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6-hour magical journey: Bullet train via Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna
The most exciting and surprising aspect of this entire project is its speed and route. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav clarified that this proposed bullet train corridor will not only connect Delhi and Siliguri, but will also cover the most major cities of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Big statement by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav: “The Bullet Train Project is going to launch in West Bengal very soon. This high-speed corridor will start from Delhi and reach directly to Siliguri via Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna. The most surprising thing is that this long journey will be completed in just six hours by this entire Bullet Train.” Since the launch of this route, there is immense enthusiasm among crores of passengers who had to spend 15 to 24 hours in trains to go from Delhi to Bihar or Bengal.
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From Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 14,205 crore: Claim of huge increase in railway funding
The Railway Minister not only announced the new train, but also presented such a juggernaut of figures which has forced the opponents to think. Comparing the budget of the UPA government and the current Narendra Modi government, he revealed the huge increase in railway funds.
Vaishnav said that while during the previous UPA government, West Bengal used to get only ₹ 4,000 crore for the development of railways, today under the leadership of PM Modi, this budget has increased almost three and a half times to ₹ 14,205 crore. However, despite this huge fund, he also exposed the suspense behind the slow pace of work. Putting direct blame on the previous state government, the minister said that many important railway projects remained pending only because the state government did not give necessary administrative approvals, due to which some cases even reached the court.
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Rejuvenation of Kolkata Metro: 60 new generation metro rakes will arrive in 5 years
Apart from Bullet Train, the Railway Minister also gave a big surprise regarding Kolkata Metro. He compared the work of 42 years of previous opposition governments with the work of the last few years of the Modi government. According to Vaishnav, while only 28 km of metro line work was completed during the 42 years of opposition rule, under the Modi government, work of 45 km of new metro line in Kolkata alone has been completed in record time. Adding to the suspense further, he announced that within the coming five years, 60 new generation ultra-modern metro rakes (train coaches) will be inducted into the Kolkata Metro network, which will completely transform the city’s transport system.
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New Chakravyuh from ‘Surat to Dankuni’: Secret suggestions sought directly from MLAs
In this new masterplan of Railways, a secret corridor is being prepared not only for passengers but also for freight. Through the East-West Dedicated Freight Corridor, Dankuni in West Bengal will now be directly connected to Surat city in Gujarat, which will open new avenues of trade.
To get this huge development work off the ground, the Railway Ministry has adopted a unique strategy. The Railway Minister said that all the MLAs of the state have been contacted directly over phone. They have been sought direct suggestions and feedback regarding important and pending railway projects in their respective constituencies. Electrification of railways has already been completed, and now it remains to be seen what new heights this ‘Bullet Raftaar’ scheme will take to the politics and infrastructure of Bengal and North India.