The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) has announced the bid procedure for the purchase of 24 E5 Series Shinkansen train sets for the high-speed Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor.
There will be a total of 10 coaches, with a seating capacity of 690 people. Since the first train connecting Vapi and Sabarmati is scheduled to begin operations in Gujrat in 2027, it is anticipated to arrive before 2027.
As the bidding process gets underway, it is made clear that in order to comply with JIQA loan requirements, bids must be submitted by the end of October this year, and only Japanese manufacturers, like Hitachi and Kawasaki, are permitted to participate in the bid as there are only a few of Japanese businesses that construct such trainsets.
Although the precise price has not been disclosed, it is assumed that the 24 high-speed trainsets will cost approximately Rs 11,000 crore, which is reasonable given that they are based on E5 Shinkansen technology from Japan. The trainsets will also be developed with India’s climate and pollution levels in mind. The trainsets will be equipped with contemporary amenities like a new range of bathroom systems and changing rooms for newborns in addition to their superior speed and technology.
While this is going on, a high-level Japanese team recently paid a visit to the Sabarmati Multimodal Transport Hub of the Project in the Ahmedabad district with Suga Yoshihide, a former Japanese prime minister and chairman of the Japan India Association.
