Indian Railways has expedited the construction of the country’s first high-speed rail corridor with a set target of building 50 piers every month.
“High speed rail is a complex project; we need to understand that as velocity increases things change tremendously. Important point among efforts made so far is the design of the corridor according to the Indian circumstances including weather, climate and soil conditions for 300-350 kmph speed,” said union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
“Keeping all this in mind, the design has been completed. Piers are being made. On an average, from November onwards, 50 piers will be made every month,” he added.
It must be noted that there is no standard design for all pillars of the high-speed corridor. Each pillar requires a unique design depending on soil conditions. Presently Soil testing of the site, where pillars are constructed and their designing is done.
More than 97 per cent of land has been acquired for the project in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and 30 per cent land in Maharashtra. Regarding the slow progress in Maharashtra, the minister expressed hope on fast-tracking the work.
“We will certainly get land in Maharashtra. Ours is a federal structure, we can’t impose things. Construction of pillars in Gujarat has infused new energy in Maharashtra. I believe that work will also start there soon,” said the minister, reports The New Indian Express.
“The ministers are regularly monitoring the project themselves. Darshana Jardosh, the minister of state for railways, reviewed the ongoing work in Surat earlier this week. Land acquisition will be completed soon. 50 piers have already been built,” said an official.