Will chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi’s high expectations from Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee be fulfilled today? Will she give the nod to the much-awaited bullet train for Gujarat? But, speculations are also rife that in the post-Nano scenario, Modi’s relationship with didi had hit a roadblock, and thus his ‘bulleted’ dreams too may get terminated.
In a recent public meeting, Modi was heard exuding high hopes of getting a bullet train from the new government. Whether his expectations from didi giving the green signal to the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is listed in the Modified Railway Budget-2009, to be announced on Friday, is to be seen.
“We need a fast and eco-friendly mass transportation facility between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, which will help the economy of Gujarat and western India grow faster. In the forthcoming railway budget, I expect announcement of bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai,” Modi had said. He further claimed that he has discussed the project with the union government on several occasions.
“I expect that the bullet train project will first start between Ahmedabad and Mumbai and gradually extend to Bangalore. The train with the speed of 500 km per hour will change the face of economy which will definitely get a shot in the arm,” he said.
Presently, the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project is only on paper.
“Indian Railway is conducting a financial and technical feasibility on the project which will then be submitted to the ministry. The minister will then announce the implementation of the project,” said a Railways official, who added: “Rest depends on the Union railway minister who is the final authority on the project.”
