High Speed Rail in India

Existing Permanent Speed Restriction on Various Sections

The broad reasons for these speed restrictions are formation inadequacies, ballast deficiencies, rail/sleeper renewal, turnout replacement, bridge works, sharp curves, and turnouts on curves etc. A detailed analysis is required on a case-to-case basis to eliminate the permanent speed restrictions to make the track fit for 160kmph. This has the potential to improve average speeds and consequent reduce in point-to-point timings substantially.

Upgrading Locomotives and Coaches

Coaches need to be improved to support 160kmph, with stainless steel bodies and crash-worthy designs, incorporating passenger and crew protection, and fire-retardant materials. They also need to be equipped with electro-pneumatic brake systems to enhance safe operations at these speeds. Locomotives need to be developed with outputs of 9000 to 12000 hp for hauling of 24-26 coach long passenger trains to 160-200kmph. The Railways has asked IIT Kharagpur to conduct research to obtain the technological know-how to increase the maximum attainable speed to 200kmph. The project, which will be conducted by the Railway Research Centre of IIT Kharagpur, has four main goals: improving speed, improving carrying capacity (heavy haul), use of advanced materials, advanced signalling and maintenance for better safety. The research is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

Issues with Upgrading Track Scheme

High speed trains and heavy freight trains have different demands on track standards concerning horizontal alignment, cant, gradients and vertical curves. If the high speed trains run on existing tracks, they will have to be scheduled in around the conventional trains. This can be a tricky thing, especially on a busy network; fast trains can easily become stuck behind slow running ones, resulting in delays. Safety is also a paramount consideration. The primary problem with the existing tracks is that they can have tight curves. After heavy rains the track may sag slightly and lose some alignment, which causes problems at high speeds. Maintenance of track for high-speed trains will require track geometry to be maintained within very tight limits. On mixed traffic routes, both high-speed passenger trains and heavy axle load freight trains operate on the same track and these heavy axle loads can be up to 25 tonnes. The heavy axle loads can accelerate the deterioration of the tracks.

Upgrading Existing Tracks v/s Installation of New Lines

New lines built for high-speed cost about `70-100 crore/km, compared with `6-7 crore/km of normal rail track. Upgrade of the existing track, combined with advanced technology of rolling stock, is the economical solution to achieve high speed. The main advantage of improving conventional rail system is lower cost and much less time required in introducing a high-speed train. The cost of constructing a dedicated new high-speed line is quite high for a developing nation. Further, building new tracks for HSR will have to use standard gauge instead of normal broad gauge which will be incompatible with normal tracks to run on in case of emergency.

Choice of Gauge and Interoperability of Trains beyond Core Networks

HSR, all over the world uses standard gauge. The rolling stock for HSR is thus available for standard gauge. On the other hand, conventional trains in India run on broad gauge tracks. If India adopts standard gauge for HSR, some important issues to be addressed include how to ensure the interoperability of rolling stock and the scope for sourcing rolling stock.

Globally, countries have followed different models for addressing the interoperability of Trains v/s Tracks issue. In Japan, the high speed rail Shinkansen uses standard gauge for HSR and narrow gauge for conventional lines. Another model is Mixed High Speed in which high speed trains run on both HSR tracks as well as upgraded sections of conventional tracks. TGV of France, Mini Shinkansen and Spain use this model. Spain uses specific adaptive technology for rolling stock (TALGO trains). The Mixed Conventional model has High Speed trains running on high speed tracks and conventional trains running on both high speed and conventional tracks. In the Fully Mixed model, both high-speed and conventional services run at their corresponding speeds on their respective infrastructure. German intercity trains (ICE) and the Rome–Florence line in Italy use this model. The High speed trains occasionally use upgraded conventional lines and freight trains use the spare capacity of high speed lines during night.

The Railways has purchased rolling stocks and locomotives like LHB and WAP5 which are fit for working at 160kmph, but they have been working with merely 130kmph; wasting potential speed of 30kmph. The main reason for this is addressing safety concerns of handling trespassing and this requires an investment of about `2-3 crore/km. The Railways now aims to increase speed to 160-200kmph on the existing tracks by upgrading signal and brake system along with fencing the tracks.

Pricing, Revenues and Funding

The Pre-feasibility report of Mumbai – Ahmedabad HSR estimated 12.0 million passengers in 2021, with pricing of `7/km for first class and `4.5/km for second class (75% of seats). From global experience, for a HSR of 500km length to be a successful commercial venture, passengers have to be in the range of 70 lakhs to 1 crore in the first year of operation. Construction cost may vary between `37,700 crore to `42,300 crore (economical conditions 2009) and rolling stock cost of `5000 crore for Mumbai–Ahmedabad HSR. The economic Internal Rate of Return of the project on Pune–Mumbai–Ahmedabad Corridor works out to 12.8%. The first year return on investment is expected to be about 0.34%.

The Railways wanted to implement the HSR project in Public Private Partnership mode but it cannot be implemented without Viability Gap Funding, given the low estimated return on investment – 0.34% – in the first year of operation (2021)

The Central Government formed the High Speed Rail Corporation of India Limited (HSRC), as a subsidiary of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), for development and implementation of high speed rail projects. This Special Purpose Vehicle has been incorporated on 25th July, 2012 as a subsidiary of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). It undertakes feasibility studies & techno-economic investigations and prepares Detailed Project Reports and bankability reports of selected corridors. Its objectives are:

– To plan, design and freeze technical parameters including fixed assets, rolling stock and operations.

– To develop financing models, explore PPP options, coordinate with stake holders and funding agencies and obtain various Government approvals.

– Project development, project execution, construction, upgradation, manufacture, operation and maintenance of High Speed Rail Systems on existing as well as new rail corridors.

– To enter into and carry on all businesses related to High Speed Rail Systems and other rail based traffic as may be approved by Government of India or RVNL or any other Authority created by the Government for such activities.

For feasibility study of the Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Corridor, an MOU was signed between JICA and Ministry of Railways in 2013 for conducting a joint feasibility study for Mumbai – Ahmedabad high speed rail system. The Railway Board has decided to associate High Speed Rail Corporation of India Ltd (HSRC) with this study. An inter Ministerial Joint Monitoring Committee including representatives of HSRC is monitoring the Study. The Railway Board has assigned Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd to conduct Pre-feasibility Study of the Delhi – Chandigarh – Amritsar High Speed Corridor. Necessary preparatory steps are under process.

A separate entity, High Speed Rail Authority of India (HSRA), has been set up to operationalize bullet trains in the country as part of the 12th Five Year Plan (2012–17). A public-private-partnership mode of investment and execution is envisaged for such expensive 250–350kmph high-speed rail projects.

In conclusion, the idea of bringing in high speed rail into India is poised at a time when we need to debate whether this is an instrument of socio-economic development or the traditional direct investments into social and more basic infrastructure. Or is it possible to have both? Whatever path we choose, we must do it well by examining all the dimensions and taking a considered call.

Prof. G. Raghuram
Professor (Public Systems Group)
Dean (Faculty),
Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad

Prof. Raghuram specialises in infrastructure and transport systems and logistics and supply chain management. He has published over 30 refereed papers in journals and written over 140 case studies.