India’s First Bullet Train To Be Customised

For handling extreme heat and high levels of pollution, India isworking with Japan to make key technical changes in the bullet trains that areexpected to run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad from 2023, as said by the officialsfamiliar with the matter.

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), which is responsible for executing the project, believes the trains will have to be customised for Indian conditions so that they don't break down due to heat and dust.

According to Achal Khare, Managing Director of NHSRCL, "The trains that run in Japan are built to handle outside temperature of up to 35 degree Celsius. But here in India, and especially the section it will run in Maharashtra, the outside temperature can cross even 50 degrees. So, we will need some modifications for that."

India's first bullet train will mark the country's shift to anera of high-speed trains capable of hitting speeds of up to 350km per hour.

The air conditioning system in the bullet train is inside thebody of the coaches, and it is not exposed to the outside atmosphere.

The trains willhave also pressurised cabins similar to aircraft, according to sources.

"To start with,we will have 24 train sets, of which 18 will come from Japan while six will bemanufactured here. But when we say it will be manufactured in India, it meansnot 100% as critical parts will still come from Japan," Khare said.

It may be mentionedhere that the corporation is making to the current design of the bullet trainis providing extra luggage space for passengers.

For hand baggage, every coach will have overhead space.

In the last coach, some seats are likely to beremoved to make space for the extra check-in luggage, for which passengers mayhave to pay extra and it will be the first for a train in India.

The central government has set a deadline for completing the project by August 15, 2022, when India marks 75 years of Independence.