@
by78 nice pics mate. You should be happy to know that, most of the above suggestions you've placed are either in advanced planning or early implementation stages in India, including the HSR which you are referring to.
Cheers.
Thank you.
It's nice to know that many of these policies are in advanced planning or early implementation stage.
Regarding HSR planning, I've only heard of pre-feasibility or feasibility studies being conducted. I haven't heard any news of actual planning taking place.
Actual planning is rather different from feasibility studies. Planning involves conducting detailed geological and demographic surveys on all possible routes, which would include gathering information on topography, soil and sedimentation composition, and population information on cities and townships along proposed routes. Right-of-way issues have to be examined in detail so as to come up with cost estimates on land acquisition. Equipment lists and manpower requirements, along with assessment of current capabilities also need to be made and associated cost determined so as to develop or import technologies required to commence construction.
How will these new stations, routes, and viaducts impact the environment, both in terms of land loss and noise pollution? Will there be local opposition and lawsuits that might delay the project and drive up cost?
How many stops should the routes have, and how many of these stops need to be furnished or upgraded with train stations capable of accepting high-speed rolling stock? How do you work out the frequency of service, and how often should a train be scheduled to stop at any given city? How will these upgraded/new stations be connected with their respective cities (bus, metro, expressways, and/or taxi)?
Furthermore, rolling stock types, electricity supply issues, issues regarding the fabrication of viaducts, continuously-welded rails, cement production, etc. and related cost info. must be worked out in detail.
Financing must be nailed down at this stage and construction bonds should issued very soon to raise funding, which will amount to tens, if not hundreds of billions of dollars.
Then there are the highly technical and business decisions: should India import the rolling stock, or should it form joint-ventures with foreign manufacturers to produce trains locally? If India chooses to develop the rolling stock in-house, what is the timeline and cost for such undertakings? What about the signaling and traffic management systems? Should these be imported or developed indigenously? Where should the rolling stock production facilities be located, and how will land acquisition and environmental issues on these be resolved?
The list goes on and on, and solutions to all of these problems need to be worked on as we speak and be resolved within the next five to ten years if India is to commence construction in fifteen years time. Remember, after the solutions are 'found', they will have to be tested. India will have to construct experimental routes and run test trains for several years to iron out remaining problems, gain the necessary operating experience, and train the required personnel.
But before the experimental routes are constructed, they will have to be designed. Does the Indian private or public sector have the necessary civil engineering expertise for designing and constructing the infrastructure? Will foreign consultants such Siemens be needed to complete the design? Do domestic infrastructure companies have the necessary skills and technologies for constructing HSR viaducts, ties, and tracks, all of which require fabrication tolerances of less than 1/10 of a millimeter?
Then there is also the issue of acquiring and training the necessary personnel in sufficient numbers to both operate and maintain the rolling stock and track infrastructure, which are much more demanding than regular-speed trains.
If you have any information regarding progress made against any or all of the above, please share with us. Thank you.
Best of luck to India in her endeavor!
We are here for serious discussions on India's development, not to admire Shanghai.
