Mumbai to Pune in 20 minutes

[DomainK]

After years of being ridiculed because of its slow pace, and decades of being compared to China, the Indian Railways has delivered a fat punch to the critics. The Indian Railways will construct ultra high speed routes on the Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad rail map for express bullet trains hurtling at speeds between 300 to 350 kmph. China is hogging the limelight because it is currently building the world's fastest bullet train. The country has collaborated with Siemens to develop a bullet train from Beijing to Shanghai. The rain will achieve speeds of 380kmph in its 1,318 km route. On the Indian front, the fastest train on the Mumbai Pune route is the Deccan Queen that takes 3 hours 15 minutes. The fastest train on the Mumbai Ahmedabad route, the Shatabdi Expresss, takes 6 hours 45 minutes. With the Indian bullet train operational, you could take your trip from Mumbai to Pune in just 20 mins and your travel time from Ahmedabad to Mumbai would be just 120 mins. Now the downside - it would take Rs 74,400 crore to build a rail line between Pune and Mumbai. That number is bigger than the Railways' entire estimated earning for 2008-09. And to build the line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad it would cost Rs 3,55,300 Crore. Start saving from today if you want to travel faster. Source: http://www.india.com/news/india_news/the_indian_bullet_train_arrives

[Holysmoke]

Hmm. I drive to pune in 2 hrs. I dont see this being worth the investment.

[Desi Cartman]

hmmm thats good news , central/state govt should contribute and they can always make money from it once its running. BTW is there estimated date of completion or is it just an idea on which no decesion has been taken yet ?

[DomainK]

Hmm. I drive to pune in 2 hrs. I dont see this being worth the investment.

You will save petrol, toll and time if and when you switch to the bullet. The government will be able to reduce traffic on the road if more people can take trains. Thats the objective now- reduce traffic on the roads. Thats why the metro is being built, that's why they are going to add ac compartments in local trains, thats why e-ticketing for local trains is being implemented.

[Holysmoke]

I dont think the bullets will be cheap. Atleast a couple of thousand for the ticket.

[Shehezaada]

You will save petrol' date=' toll and time if and when you switch to the bullet. The government will be able to reduce traffic on the road if more people can take trains. Thats the objective now- reduce traffic on the roads. Thats why the metro is being built, that's why they are going to add ac compartments in local trains, thats why e-ticketing for local trains is being implemented.[/quote'] not to mention all the pollution we'll be saving

[Rajiv]

First make em and then talk, we get too many proposals like these

[CC1981]

What a ****ing white elephant. Yes, we need better transportation and all that with more public works...but bullet trains ? what the fook for ? trains that average 150-200kmph are more than sufficient. Not to mention, a lil select area of bullet train service will only see inter-regional jealousy pour more money into this to get their own lil bullet-train networks and now terrorists will be blowing up people plus thousands of crores worth of 'bullet train money'. Yay ! :yay:

[flamy]

What a ****ing white elephant. Yes, we need better transportation and all that with more public works...but bullet trains ? what the fook for ? trains that average 150-200kmph are more than sufficient. Not to mention, a lil select area of bullet train service will only see inter-regional jealousy pour more money into this to get their own lil bullet-train networks and now terrorists will be blowing up people plus thousands of crores worth of 'bullet train money'. Yay ! :yay:

so let terror impede development?

[CC1981]

so let terror impede development?

Actually, this is not development,this is simple posturing and headline-grabbing 'glam-money spending'. We don't need bullet trains - we need trains that will get here to there ON TIME, are CLEAN and can do speeds like 150-200kmh. And no, this isnt terrorism impeding development- it is obvious that this will be a HUGE target for the terrorists- indian rail stations are not secure...blow up the bullet train- you kill many and waste thousands of crores....whatever your feelings about this, you cannot deny that this point will not escape the terrorists's attention.

[Ram]

74,000 crores for a railway link? No Effin way! I'd rather divide those 74,000 into 6,7 parts and spend it on improving sanitation, public transport and roads in the biggest Metros of India. Its better to help a couple of 100 million live in a slightly better way, rather than have a few thousand people enjoy the best luxuries. There is so much that our cities need today. Why in the world would they want to invest such astronomical amounts of money in a showpiece project?

[Rajiv]

I would love to see this, but will it make it? and they should make a huge security check before entering the train Imagine, living in Pune and coming to Mumbai for a drink

[Ram]

I would love to see this, but will it make it? and they should make a huge security check before entering the train Imagine, living in Pune and coming to Mumbai for a drink

Yes thats brilliant, but I forsee a small problem. You have to spend a few thousand rupees to travel and buy a drink that cost a couple of hundred bucks. Not a sane investment, in my opinion. :D

[Rajiv]

Yes thats brilliant, but I forsee a small problem. You have to spend a few thousand rupees to travel and buy a drink that cost a couple of hundred bucks. Not a sane investment, in my opinion. :D

For someone who will spend money to travel in that train can afford that for sure my friend..clearly this is only meant for upper middle class +

[kumble_rocks]

For someone who will spend money to travel in that train can afford that for sure my friend..clearly this is only meant for upper middle class +

More reason why the train is a bad idea. Even if they serve drinks , you got to drink it in 20 mins !:--D

[coffee_rules]

74,000 crores for a railway link? No Effin way! I'd rather divide those 74,000 into 6,7 parts and spend it on improving sanitation, public transport and roads in the biggest Metros of India. Its better to help a couple of 100 million live in a slightly better way, rather than have a few thousand people enjoy the best luxuries. There is so much that our cities need today. Why in the world would they want to invest such astronomical amounts of money in a showpiece project?

Ah, spoken like a true westerner! Somebody at work had once asked in '98 about why does India have to have nuclear weapons. They first need to feed their hungry and tend to beggars. I am not saying India needs fast trains now, but any kind of infrastructure investment is looked down upon by the western media. I have had a couple of problems myself, but a lot of investment in infrastructure should be done with/by the private sector. It will help us create more jobs and wisely the govt needs to channel the revenue for the upliftment of people in poverty. RIght after the second world war, America couldn't employ all the people who survived the war. They went around building roads and highways. Now, their whole economy is dependent on the very same roads.

[DomainK]

74,000 crores for a railway link? No Effin way! I'd rather divide those 74,000 into 6,7 parts and spend it on improving sanitation, public transport and roads in the biggest Metros of India. Its better to help a couple of 100 million live in a slightly better way, rather than have a few thousand people enjoy the best luxuries. There is so much that our cities need today. Why in the world would they want to invest such astronomical amounts of money in a showpiece project?

mm, you really think its being done to offer luxury to the rich? Estimates say that at the current rate, after20 years, the average speed of traffic in Mumbai will be 5 kms/hour. Thats at the current rate. Once Nano is on the roads, virtually every bike owner will become a car owner and that speed of 5 will come in five years. The city authorities have a job of ensuring smooth flow of traffic in the city. Mumbai already is too cramped for anymore roads or flyovers. So they have some other plans in place: There will be four ground lines for local trains and four lines of overhead trains. That makes it eight lines with trains every 15 minutes. There will be ac compartments in each local train for those who hate the heat and the crowd. E-ticketing through the net and sms will be activated to do away the long ques at ticket counters. Underground metro is already along way into construction. They are building expressways over the sea. The Bandra-Worli one will open shortly making it possible to drive down to Worki in 5 minutes. There is the possibility of general helicopter services for emergency purposes. Helipads will be build across the city for that. The auto rickshaws will be banned and there will be only taxis.....most possibly replaced with Nanos. Every builder has been already given notice to have two parking spaces per flat. The buller train was another necessity to encourage Mumbaikers to quit the car and take the luxury of the train. If Mumbai comes to 5 kms, the whole country will suffer.

[Ram]

Ah' date=' spoken like a true westerner! Somebody at work had once asked in '98 about why does India have to have nuclear weapons. They first need to feed their hungry and tend to beggars. I am not saying India needs fast trains now, but any kind of infrastructure investment is looked down upon by the western media. I have had a couple of problems myself, but a lot of investment in infrastructure should be done with/by the private sector. It will help us create more jobs and wisely the govt needs to channel the revenue for the upliftment of people in poverty. RIght after the second world war, America couldn't employ all the people who survived the war. They went around building roads and highways. Now, their whole economy is dependent on the very same roads.[/quote'] I think you misunderstood me. I am clearly not against investment into infrastructure per se, I am only against infrastructure into projects that arent exactly priority right now. We can use that money to build safer, more wide-spread rail and road networks and build bridges and flyovers that you were referring to. Besides, I am not too sure pumping such massive amounts of money into a link between two sister cities makes sense anyway. It doesnt make sense economically, practically and politically, whichever way you look at it. Our priority right now must be to have better roads in cities, increase santitation and boost primary educations, not construct multi-billion dollar rail-links that may never happen

mm, you really think its being done to offer luxury to the rich? Estimates say that at the current rate, after20 years, the average speed of traffic in Mumbai will be 5 kms/hour. Thats at the current rate. Once Nano is on the roads, virtually every bike owner will become a car owner and that speed of 5 will come in five years. The city authorities have a job of ensuring smooth flow of traffic in the city. Mumbai already is too cramped for anymore roads or flyovers. So they have some other plans in place: There will be four ground lines for local trains and four lines of overhead trains. That makes it eight lines with trains every 15 minutes. There will be ac compartments in each local train for those who hate the heat and the crowd. E-ticketing through the net and sms will be activated to do away the long ques at ticket counters. Underground metro is already along way into construction. They are building expressways over the sea. The Bandra-Worli one will open shortly making it possible to drive down to Worki in 5 minutes. There is the possibility of general helicopter services for emergency purposes. Helipads will be build across the city for that. The auto rickshaws will be banned and there will be only taxis.....most possibly replaced with Nanos. Every builder has been already given notice to have two parking spaces per flat. The buller train was another necessity to encourage Mumbaikers to quit the car and take the luxury of the train. If Mumbai comes to 5 kms, the whole country will suffer.

As I said, I am all for investments that improve infrastructure within the cities. I am only against investment into Marquee projects that mean little in the long term. If the Mahararhtra govt is going to invest $100 bn into multi level rail links within Mumbai city, am all for it.

[Dravid]

cool, but worthless

[DomainK]

I think you misunderstood me. I am clearly not against investment into infrastructure per se, I am only against infrastructure into projects that arent exactly priority right now. We can use that money to build safer, more wide-spread rail and road networks and build bridges and flyovers that you were referring to. Besides, I am not too sure pumping such massive amounts of money into a link between two sister cities makes sense anyway. It doesnt make sense economically, practically and politically, whichever way you look at it. Our priority right now must be to have better roads in cities, increase santitation and boost primary educations, not construct multi-billion dollar rail-links that may never happen As I said, I am all for investments that improve infrastructure within the cities. I am only against investment into Marquee projects that mean little in the long term. If the Mahararhtra govt is going to invest $100 bn into multi level rail links within Mumbai city, am all for it.

Its the fisrt step towards taking transportation in India to the next level. It will do wonders with time. The first ever inter city train line in India was between Mumbai and Pune. A lot of people had raised similar concerns then: why spend money on trains? Why not spend it to feed the poor.