Next-gen bullet train to debut in India and Japan simultaneously: Railways
The statement comes at a time when the questions are being raised over the delay in finalising the procurement deal for the E5 Shinkansen model which is supposed to run on India's ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail (MAHSR) corridor.
'The Japanese Shinkansen [system] is currently running E5 trains. Next generation trains are E10. In the spirit of strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project. It is noteworthy that E10 will be introduced simultaneously in India and Japan,' said the Ministry.
The Ministry claimed there was no delay in the project's execution and that trials would be conducted in 2026-27 as per schedule.
Meanwhile, Indian Railways' Integral Coach Factory in Chennai has awarded a tender to state-run BEML Ltd to manufacture two high-speed trainsets, with a test speed of 280 kmph, that will be somewhat similar to the Japanese bullet train.
The Ministry said the entire 508-km corridor is being developed with Shinkansen technology. Out of the total length, 465.38 km is being built on viaducts — a bridge with a series of spans that is supported by piers or towers.
On July 9, the first breakthrough was achieved in the 21-km tunnel which is being constructed between Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Shilphata in Maharashtra, marking the successful completion of a 2.7-km section of the tunnel.
Five kilometres of the tunnel are being excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) between Shilphata and Ghansoli, while the remaining 16-km will be excavated using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs).
This tunnel stretch also includes a 7-km undersea section beneath Thane creek. Along with this, a total of 310-km of viaduct construction has also been completed.
'A total of 15 river bridges are completed and 4 are in the advanced stages of construction. Out of 12 stations, 5 are completed and 3 more are now reaching completion stage. The station at BKC is an engineering marvel, as it will be located 32.5 m below ground and the foundation is designed to support the construction of a 95 m high building above ground. Apart from this project, the future corridors are also under active consideration,' said the ministry in a statement.
The foundation stone for the project was laid in September 2017. The total estimated cost is Rs 1.08 lakh crore. The project will have a total of 12 stations, travel time 2 hours and 7 minutes (with limited stops) and operational speed of 320 kilometers per hour. It will pass through Gujarat (348 km), Dadra and Nagar Haveli (4 km) and Maharashtra (156 km).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
MIPCL- Sumitomo Corporation sign strategic cooperation agreement with Osaka Govt.
To support Japanese businesses expanding into India Mahindra Industrial Park Chennai (MIPCL), the developer and operator of Origins by Mahindra, together with its 40% stakeholder and marketing arm in Japan, Sumitomo Corporation, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Osaka Prefecture, and the Osaka Industrial Development Bureau (a public interest incorporated foundation to support Japanese companies based in Osaka in expanding their footprint in India. This milestone partnership reinforces Mahindra's commitment to facilitating high-quality global investment into India's manufacturing sector and positions Tamil Nadu as a preferred destination for Japanese industry. Through this agreement, MIPCL and Sumitomo Corporation will work in close coordination with public institutions to serve as a local facilitator for Osaka-based companies exploring opportunities in India. As part of the collaboration, MIPCL and Sumitomo Corporation will support business visits, provide on-ground consultation, and participate in knowledge-sharing seminars hosted in Osaka. The Osaka authorities, in turn, will identify and recommend companies interested in expanding into India, with necessary permissions, ensuring a streamlined entry process for Japanese manufacturers. India, with its projected GDP growth of 6.3% in FY2025 as forecast by the World Bank, remains a powerful draw for international business. As a rising leader in the Global South, India is increasingly seen as a long-term partner for global supply chains. Chennai, particularly, has become a hub of industrial activity due to its strong port connectivity, ease of access to Southeast Asia, and growing presence of automotive, electronics, and semiconductor companies. Origins by Mahindra, Chennai already is home to six clients from Japan and offers world-class infrastructure, and stable policy environment. The collaboration in Chennai will further strengthen these efforts by enabling tailored support for businesses evaluating the Indian market. MIPCL, backed by Mahindra Lifespaces' deep knowledge of Indian industry, will play a key role in helping Japanese firms navigate regulatory frameworks, secure land and utilities, and scale up operations with confidence.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Ad hoardings to make a comeback, BBMP expects to earn nearly ₹500 crore additional revenue this year
hoardings are all set to make a comeback in the city after it was banned in 2018. The civic body hopes to rake in an additional revenue of nearly ₹500 crore through advertisement fee that ranges between ₹50 and ₹90 a sq. ft of the hoarding, depending on the guidance value of land in the area. Hoardings will not be allowed around Vidhana Soudha. The State government on Thursday issued the final notification of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (Advertisement) Bylaws - 2024, a new ad policy pending for years. The Draft of the bylaws was issued in July 2024, and a final notification has been issued with a few changes, incorporating objections that came for the draft. For instance, the draft bylaws listed road widths in feet, while the final notification lists it in metres. The draft said no advertisement, apart from self-advertisement, will be allowed on a road less than 60 ft wide. The advertisement fee was in the range of ₹40 and ₹110, which has now been revised to in the range of ₹50 and ₹90. The total horizontal length of hoardings at a circle has been revised from 60 ft to 120 ft, and the maximum height of a hoarding from the ground has been raised from 75 ft to 30 metres (over 98 ft). With the new ad policy coming into force, the stage is now set for the civic body to give out rights to put up advertisements in the city through an open auction/tender. Before that, the BBMP should divide the whole city into suitable stretches of roads, circles, and areas, where paid advertisements shall be permissible through a notification. Chief Civic Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao said the civic body estimates to mop up additional revenue of about ₹400 to ₹500 crore through outdoor advertisement. The civic budget for 2025-26 estimates ₹750 crore revenue from the advertisement fee (as per new policy). However, the notification of road stretches, circles where advertisements will be allowed, and auction for advertising rights of the same will take time and this year, the revenue from this source will likely be lesser than what was estimated in the budget, sources said. The new advertisement bylaws for the first time allows advertising on private lands, lands owned by other agencies like Indian Railways, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) or bus stands of the KSRTC, and the BMTC, and public sector units. The revenue will be shared with the BBMP, the sources said. While the BBMP will auction advertising rights on road stretches, advertisers need to broker deals with individual property owners, including government agencies, to put up hoardings on them, and these property owners will have to pay additional property tax over the same. Restrictions The bylaws imposes several restrictions on outdoor advertising. For instance, it bans video advertising, imposes restrictions on neon lights, bans any advertising on trees, streetlights, electricity poles, on footpaths, abutting public roads, 50 ft from a traffic signal on all arms of the signal, 50 metres from any place of worship, etc. The bylaws also constitute an Advertisement Regulatory Committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department. The bylaws brings in several reforms, including making the entire process online. Each outdoor advertisement will have to carry a QR code which when scanned should provide all details of the advertisement and any violation will make it liable to be removed.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Reliance is trying to become "the coolest one"
After pushing its own mobiles and soft drinks into India's vast consumer market, Reliance Retail has set its eyes on selling refrigerators, ACs and washing machines in a segment dominated by global giants such as LG and Samsung. The company is rolling out a bold strategy anchored in legacy, scale and disruption to dominate the fast-growing consumer durables business. Reliance Retail has been expanding its private-label portfolio and growing its footprint in home electronics and appliances, a segment boosted by rising incomes, urbanisation and mounting competition. As of June 2024, India's consumer goods market was the fastest-growing among major economies and could nearly double to Rs 3 lakh crore by 2029, according to an EY report. Reliance Retail's foray into the consumer durables segment represents a strategic expansion that mirrors its earlier playbook in the FMCG space -- reviving legacy brands, leveraging distribution muscle and disrupting a multinational-dominated market with a " Made in India " narrative. The recent acquisition of the iconic Kelvinator brand marks a significant milestone in this journey and signals the company's long-term ambitions in India's fast-growing home appliances market. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Degree Product Management Finance Public Policy Data Science Healthcare Data Science Project Management Others Digital Marketing MCA Management healthcare Operations Management Data Analytics Design Thinking MBA Cybersecurity others PGDM Technology CXO Leadership Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details From licensing to ownership: Kelvinator's strategic role Reliance Retail on Friday announced that it has bought Kelvinator from Sweden's Electrolux to broaden its range of offerings in the durables market. Kelvinator, a legacy brand going a century back, is known for pioneering home refrigeration and its popular 'The Coolest One' tagline in the 1970s and 80s. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Pieces of Clothing Older Women should Avoid Learn More Undo Reliance Retail's move to fully acquire Kelvinator, from being a licensee since 2019, transforms its relationship with the brand from a tactical play into a strategic asset. The Kelvinator name, synonymous with refrigerators and washing machines for decades, still commands trust among older Indian consumers. Although its presence had faded post liberalization and with the dominance of Korean and Japanese players, the brand's latent equity makes it a strong candidate for revival under Reliance's stewardship. By integrating Kelvinator into its portfolio, Reliance gains more than just a brand. It inherits a lineage of product design, recall and goodwill that can be scaled rapidly across its retail empire. The plan is to push not just refrigerators and washing machines, but expand into air conditioners and kitchen appliances, aligning with rising demand from a growing middle class and increasing urbanisation. Live Events Wyzr , the opening gambit The acquisition dovetails with Reliance Retail's earlier 2024 launch of Wyzr, a homegrown consumer durables brand positioned as a disruptor to multinationals like LG, Samsung and Whirlpool . Wyzr marks Reliance's intent to go beyond legacy brands and build new-age offerings tailored to Indian consumers, with competitive pricing and design suited for Indian conditions. Reliance's dual-brand strategy -- Kelvinator as a legacy player and Wyzr as an aspirational, value-driven brand -- allows it to target both traditional and younger, aspirational consumer segments. The company is reportedly engaging with domestic contract manufacturers while planning to build its own facilities in the medium term, aiming at control quality, cost and innovation. Haier and Whirlpool in crosshairs Reliance isn't just looking to grow organically but actively eyeing major inorganic opportunities. Reports of its interest in a strategic stake in Haier's India operations, as well as its bid for controlling interest in Whirlpool's India business, underscore its intent to consolidate the fragmented consumer durables landscape. These moves, if successful, could catapult Reliance into the top tier of players in India's appliance market overnight. With Haier looking to localise and Whirlpool potentially changing hands, Reliance is positioning itself as a natural homegrown partner for global giants who need distribution and operational support in India's complex market. The competition is stiff as Bharti Group and Havells are also in the fray for Haier and Whirlpool respectively. But Reliance's deep pockets and operational muscle give it a clear edge. FMCG playbook redux: From Campa to Kelvinator The consumer durables strategy closely echoes Reliance's approach in FMCG, where it bought legacy brands like Campa Cola, Raskik and Sosyo to quickly build shelf presence and brand recognition. The approach is clear --- acquire heritage brands, modernize them, and plug them into Reliance's expansive distribution system and scale fast. This strategy bypasses the long gestation period required to build new brands from scratch and leverages nostalgia and trust, both powerful emotional drivers in Indian consumption. What sets Reliance apart from other players is its integrated ecosystem, from retail stores and online platforms to telecom and payments businesses. These allow it to not just sell products, but also create whole systems for marketing, logistics and after-sales support. Consumer durable products sold through this ecosystem generate rich consumer data, enabling personalised offers, servicing models and upselling across product categories. Moreover, Reliance's deep discounting power, control over shelf space and fast execution give it significant advantages over legacy brands that rely on traditional dealer-distributor models. So far, Reliance's own brands, Reconnect and Wyzr which it has founded, have met with limited success. But it is trying to majorly disrupt the market by combining the nostalgia and trust of legacy brands like Kelvinator with the energy of new entrants like Wyzr, and by aggressively pursuing M&A deals with global majors. Reliance may want to do a Jio in the consumer durable market but it's a long-term bet.
