In the coming years, a six-hour-long train journey will be reduced to only two hours with the new bullet train from Delhi to Amritsar via Chandigarh that will travel at a speed of 300 km/hr. This train will be completing the 458-km long journey in 2 hours and 3 minutes. Presently, Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi Express takes around 6 hours for the journey, stopping at Panipat, Ambala, Chandigarh and Ludhiana.
“The feasibility study report of the high-speed rail corridor between Delhi–Chandigarh–Amritsar has been submitted to the Ministry of Railways in 2016. The report has been accepted by the Ministry of Railways and is currently under consideration.”, a senior Railways official said.
At 2015 price level, a base fare of INR 4.5 per kilometer has been recommended for the journey. Considering this, the Delhi-Amritsar trip would cost a minimum of INR 2061 (4.5*458). The distance between Delhi to Chandigarh is 258 kms which will be covered in 1 hour and 12 minutes and will cost a minimum of INR 1161. Presently, the minimum Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi fare is INR 890, while the Delhi-Chandigarh fare is around INR 650.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said, “We have already tested the train to run at the speed of 180 km/h which was successful and after watching its results, Amritsar will be linked with a high-speed train.”
At a 2015 price level, the total cost of the project is estimated at INR 61,412 crore. The project is expected to be completed between 6 to 8 years and the study anticipates the bullet train to start its operations by 2025. Although, the Ministry of Railways will take a final call on the execution of the project and its prime details once the studies for all the other high-speed rail corridors are concluded.
