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India’s ambitious high-speed rail project connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad has encountered a setback, with the Japanese Shinkansen system facing significant delays. As a result, the Indian Railway Ministry has decided to deploy Vande Bharat trains on the track as an interim solution.
This change of plan highlights the evolving strategy of the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) and indicates a shift in the timeline for India’s first high-speed rail corridor.
Delays In Shinkansen Bullet Train Rollout
Originally, the Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains were expected to start operations in India by 2026, beginning with the Surat-Bilimora section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. However, sources suggest that the introduction of these trains will now be delayed, with full-scale operations expected only by 2030.
The Shinkansen project’s foundation stone was laid back in September 2017, but the development has faced technical and logistical challenges that have pushed back the implementation timeline.
Since India has already experienced delays in implementing the Shinkansen, there is an urgent need for India to get a quick, high-speed rail transport solution to cater to increased demands in rail transport efficiency. To this end, the Indian government has decided to take advantage of using its indigenous Vande Bharat trains.
Adoption Of ETCS-2 Signalling System
The NHSRCL recently floated a tender for the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level-2 to ensure smooth running of high-speed trains on the new corridor. This advanced signalling system will replace the originally planned Japanese DS-ATC signalling system and will be compatible with India’s Vande Bharat trains.
The ETCS-2 system is very essential for the safety and efficiency of the trains. It is planned to operate at the speed of high rail traffic as well and comes in accordance with international requirements. The contract term for the tender is seven years, in which there will be design, manufacturing, installation, and later on, maintenance.
The NHSRCL is hopeful that by implementing the ETCS-2 system, the completed infrastructure will be ready for commercial operations by 2027. “It would be counterproductive to leave this capital-intensive project unused merely because of the delays in procuring the Shinkansen trains,” said an anonymous source while stressing that whatever infrastructure is available should be used to the fullest extent.
Temporary Vande Bharat Trains
Due to the delay in procuring Shinkansen trains, the first indigenously developed high-speed trains for India, Vande Bharat, will be initially run on the new corridor. With a maximum design speed of 280 km/h, they will give passengers high-speed connectivity between Mumbai and Ahmedabad as the Shinkansen trains will still be in the development phase.
The Vande Bharat trains will operate on the newly built infrastructure and will benefit from the upgraded ETCS-2 signalling system. Once the Japanese Shinkansen trains are fully operational, the Vande Bharat trains will be reassigned to other high-speed rail projects in India, allowing for further expansion of the country’s rail network.
Despite the many changes to original plans, details on the signal tender and an updated timeline to operationalize Shinkansen train service remained under a veil of tight-lipped discretion from the Railway Ministry and the NHSRCL. No confirmation of the nature of the hold-ups or the new revised schedule has ever been given either.
However, government officials are optimistic that the procurement of the Shinkansen trains will be completed by 2030, and that the interim use of Vande Bharat trains will effectively meet the transportation needs of the public.
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