India Railways Panel Urges Global High-Speed Rail Study, Faster Indigenisation

India's parliamentary standing committee on railways has called for a thorough study of efficient high-speed rail systems in operation worldwide. The committee, in its 10th report, also pushed for faster indigenisation of components and enhanced capacity-building through expanded training at the High-Speed Rail Training Institute in Vadodara, incorporating international expertise.

The panel acknowledged the Railways' efforts in indigenising high-speed rail skills and components under the 'Make in India' initiative but stressed the need for accelerated progress and greater capacity development. "The Committee reiterate the Railways to undertake a comprehensive study of successful high-speed rail networks in countries where such systems are operating efficiently," the report stated, urging the Ministry to update the committee on efforts for future High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27.

Welcoming the announcement of seven new high-speed rail corridors in the 2026-27 Union Budget, the committee underscored the importance of completing land acquisition and other statutory clearances before projects are sanctioned. This, they argued, is crucial for time-bound implementation and safeguarding financial viability. The proposed corridors include Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Siliguri.

Regarding the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project, the committee noted a cost increase from the initial ₹97,636 crore approved in 2015. The revised estimate, currently under sanction, is attributed to factors like taxes, rolling stock, signalling, inflation, and higher land acquisition and rehabilitation costs. The committee also expressed appreciation for the planned operations of the indigenous B28 bullet trainset, capable of 280 kmph, on the Surat-Vapi stretch in August 2027. They recommended a robust execution framework to improve inter-agency coordination, identify bottlenecks early, and expedite utility-shifting works.

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The Committee reiterate the Railways to undertake a comprehensive study of successful high-speed rail networks in countries where such systems are operating efficiently. The Ministry may like to apprise the Committee of the efforts being undertaken for such study for its future High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridors as announced in the Union Budget 2026-27.