Title - Funding and Land acquisition to bog down Mysore-Bangalore-Chennai Bullet train project

Bangalore: The concept of a high-speed bullet train connecting Mysore and Chennai via Bangalore, which has been raked up again, is an old idea that had evoked scepticism from a cross-section of stakeholders.

The idea was first aired by the then Chief Minister D.V.Sadananda Gowda at a zonal investors’ conference held here in May, 2012. Mr.Gowda had said the “work would commence by December”. However, after nearly a year, let alone completion, there has been no word on the feasibility study either. And now, the idea has kindled the imagination of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on his return from China.

The public disbelief stems from the odds of implementing such a grandiose project at a mindboggling cost for a 139-km stretch between Mysore and Bangalore.

A senior official in the South Western Railway, who expressed skepticism about the project, told that even if the State government was serious about it, there are practical difficulties surmounting which will be make the proposal difficult to get approved.

He said funding and land acquisition could bog down the project and their experience with the Mysore–Bangalore doubling work does not inspire confidence.

“The track-doubling work is limping as the State has not released its share of money so far and the delay has led to cost escalation. It was about Rs. 450 crore a few years ago and is now Rs. 850 crore. The bullet train will be a cost-intensive project and returns on investments have to be ascertained before giving a green signal for it,” he added.

Estimates

A rough estimate by the railway authorities for a proposed high-speed corridor linking Mumbai and Ahmadabad and the 534-km stretch is expected to cost not less than Rs.60,000 crore.

The track-doubling work has been taken up on a cost-sharing basis, with the State government funding two-third of the amount and the Indian Railways chipping in the balance. The deadline for the project has been revised many times owing to land acquisition issues and the latest deadline for completion of work is December, 2014.

The high-speed bullet train cannot travel on the same track nor has the same alignment and will be a green field project, which entails fresh exercise of land acquisition — meaning more delay.

The existing alignment has too many curves that do not facilitate high-speed travel. The maximum speed that the existing track can support is 110 kmph to 150 kmph. For speeds of 250 kmph to 300 kmph or more, the entire stretch has to be barricaded which is impossible in the Indian milieu. Alternatively, it has to be an elevated track which means additional cost, said the official.

For comparison, the second phase of the Bangalore Metro — which will be partially on an elevated track and go underground in portions — entails an expenditure of nearly Rs.26,000 crore for 72-km stretch. The recently commissioned Chikjajur-Hosadurga route cost the railways Rs. 23 crore for a 23-km stretch, said the official.

Suresh Kumar Jain of the Mysore Industries Association said as stakeholders, they would welcome the idea. “But, it would be prudent to expedite the ongoing track-doubling work with electrification,” he said.

Bhanuchandran, industrial consultant, said bullet train connecting two cities that are just 120-150 km apart will be a futile and redundant project, like the Mysore airport that does not have any flight service.

Instead, if the existing track were to be upgraded to facilitate a speed of 160 kmph to 180 kmph, it would suffice and boost connectivity, he said.