Doklam effect? China puts Chennai-Bengaluru high speed train project on backburner
The brief also states that the feasibility study by CREEC was submitted to the Railway Board in November 2016 and after that the Chinese company had sought meetings with officials of the Board.
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Did the Doklam standoff lead to the delay in the implementation of the high speed train project in south India?
An internal brief of the Mobility Directorate on the status of nine high-speed projects of the railways shows that the Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore corridor, a 492 km stretch, lies in limbo because the Chinese railways has failed to respond to the ministry's communiques.
China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co Ltd (CREEC), a state-owned firm, had completed a feasibility study around a year ago but has stopped responding to Railway Ministry's emails, officials told PTI.
"The Chinese company submitted the final report in November 2016 and after that the Chinese team has suggested for a face to face interaction. No date has been fixed from their side," said the note prepared by the Mobility Directorate. On the reason for the delay, the brief states - "lack of response" from Chinese railways.
The brief also states that the feasibility study by CREEC was submitted to the Railway Board in November 2016 and after that the Chinese company had sought meetings with officials of the Board.
However,
officials
say
that
the
Board
has
been
unable
to
get
in
touch
with
officials
of
CREEC
despite
repeated
communications
sent
to
them
via
mails
in
the
last
six
months.
"We
have
even
tried
to
get
in
touch
with
them
through
their
Embassy
here,
but
we
are
yet
to
hear
from
them,"
said
an
official.
The
ministry
officials
said
that
it
was
the
standoff
between
the
two
countries
in
Bhutan's
Doklam
area
between
June
16
and
August
28
this
year
that
seems
to
have
derailed
the
project.
"The
study
began
in
2014
and
they
submitted
the
report
in
2016.
The
entire
cost
was
borne
by
them.
In
fact
they
have
shown
so
much
interest
in
collaborating
with
us
for
other
projects
as
well,
so
we
think
that
it
was
the
standoff
that
must
have
raised
doubts,"
said
a
senior
rail
official.
Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam.
The brief, prepared by the department in charge of all the high speed corridors, also states that except the Chinese roadblock, work on the eight other projects was on track.
China had in fact not only pitched for the Mumbai- Ahemdabad high speed network, which was finally bagged by Japan, but also for the bullet project in the Mumbai-Delhi sector, which is yet to be finalised.
China is also training railway engineers in heavy hauling and it is with Chinese collaboration that India is setting up its first railway university.
The Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore corridor is one of nine such high speed corridors being developed by the ministry. The aim was to increase the speed from the present 80 kmph to 160 kmph.
OneIndia News