Japan offers India financing for HSR line

[bikkuri bahn]

NEW DELHI (Reuters) — Japan has offered to finance India’s first bullet train, estimated to cost $15 billion, at an interest rate of less than 1 percent, officials said, stealing a march on China, which is bidding for other projects on the world’s fourth-largest network.

Tokyo was picked to assess the feasibility of building the 505-kilometre corridor linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, and concluded it would be technically and financially viable.

The project to build and supply the route will be put out to tender, but offering financing makes Japan the clear frontrunner.

 

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002571504

[bikkuri bahn]

Japan and China are in the race to build a high-speed rail network in India, a controversial project supported by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government but slammed by critics as wasteful.

The government is looking to build a 10,000km-long high-speed rail network, called the diamond quadrilateral, which connects four major cities, but the project has been slow going due to the high costs involved.

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/indias-high-speed-rail-plans-hit-by-high-costs-and-controversy

[bikkuri bahn]

Some positive news:

TOKYO -- India will agree this week to adopt Japanese bullet train technology for a high-speed-rail project that Japan will also help finance, The Nikkei has learned.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will issue a joint statement on the deal Saturday during Abe's visit to India.

 

The proposed 505km railway will link Mumbai, India's most populous city, with Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat to the north.

 

Abe will convey an offer of more than 1 trillion yen ($8.1 billion) in official Japanese lending for the roughly 980 billion rupee ($14.6 billion) project.

 

 http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/International-Relations/India-opts-for-Japan-bullet-trains-for-Mumbai-Ahmedabad-line?page=1

[JR 500系]

Sounds promising! Let's hope India holds their promise and the Chinese keep away?  :)

[bikkuri bahn]

I think the Chinese are aiming for the Mumbai-Delhi line.

[Robert46]

if it worked, India will be the third country to adopt shinkansen technology after Taiwan and China.. right?

[yakumo381]

if it worked, India will be the third country to adopt shinkansen technology after Taiwan and China.. right?

...and probably the second to have a big accident.

[Robert46]

...and probably the second to have a big accident.

 

Well, if the project was handled by Japanese, the safety level is still reliable in my opinion... but of course, the biggest responsibility should come from India side, government, railway company and its people as end users...