New plan: Nagpur to Mumbai via bullet train in just 3.5 hours

The Indian Railways have proposed bullet train services between Nagpur and Mumbai, which will cover the approximately 766km distance in just three and a half hours, along the soon-to-be-ready Samruddhi Expressway.

The train is expected to travel at the highest speed of 350km per hour. Currently, it takes a minimum of 12 hours to travel the same distance.

Union minister of state for railways Raosaheb Danve on Saturday said the development project report (DPR) of the high-speed connectivity project would be ready by February-end. It will be prepared by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).

“We have proposed this superfast train along the Samruddhi Highway project. We have the advantage of already having 70% land in our possession. We just need to acquire 30% land from private parties,” said Danve.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari told TOI that Danve had discussed the project during a meeting and “the bullet train would provide another good option for transportation between the two cities”.

“From Nagpur up to Igatpuri, land will not have to be acquired as the train would run adjacent to Samruddhi Highway. From Igatpuri till Mumbai, land will have to be acquired,” he said.

Danve said farmers would not have to give up land as the entire corridor would be on an elevated track. “The train needs a straight corridor. Beyond Igatpuri, there is a curve from where we have to change the train’s path. The DPR report would mention the number of stations on the train’s route,” he said.

As per officials close to Danve, the high-speed corridor project was among the seven proposed by the Centre. Work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor has already started and land acquisition almost completed on the Gujarat side.

The DPR of the Varanasi-Delhi corridor is ready. Officials said the Nagpur-Mumbai corridor DPR would be prepared through a series of surveys that include LiDar (Light Detection and Ranging) and aerial along with social and environmental impact assessment (SIA and EIA). A LiDar ground survey has already been completed. The project is expected to pass at least through 10 districts, but it was not clear on how many stoppages it would have.

“The project would involve a huge expenditure. The 508km Mumbai-Ahmedabad project cost is over Rs 1. 1 lakh crore, which is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The Nagpur-Mumbai distance is 766km and would require more amount than the first project, which was mired in the land acquisition process, particularly from the Maharashtra side,” said an official. The high-speed rail network is likely to move from Wardha, Jalna, Shirdi, Nashik, Shahapur before reaching Mumbai.