PM Modi, Shinzo Abe lay foundation stone for bullet train project
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PM Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe. Photo credit ANI
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of much-talked about Rs 1.10 lakh crore bullet train in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
“Next time when I come to Ahmedabad, I hope to enjoy the beautiful scenery of India through windows of the bullet train along with Prime Minister Modi,” Shinzo Abe said after laying foundation stone.
Abe said that Japan entered the era of 10% economic growth and in toleague of developed nations after beginning of Shinkansen (high-speed bullet train) in 1964. “This brought about a change in the economy and lifestyle of people of Japan,” he said adding that it will help create a “new India”.
“Today, we can see a glance of the bright future for India and Japan,” the Japanese prime minister further said.
Calling his Indian counterpart a global and visionary leader who took a decision two years ago to bring bullet train to India, Japanese PM said that his country was committed to help India realise this dream. “Strong India is in interest of Japan and strong Japan is in interest of India,” he said adding that cooperation between India Japan had transcended bilateral relationship and one that has important role to play in the Indian Ocean and Pacific region.
Of the Rs 1.10 lakh crore, Japan would extend a soft loan of Rs 88,000 crore at an interest of 0.1% payable over 50 years, with grace period of 15 years. The train would halt at a dozen railway stations, whilst coveringdistance between Ahmedabad and Mumbai in two hours, instead of seven currently. A 21-km-long tunnel would also be part of this project and dug between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, including 7-km under sea tunnel.
Both the Prime Ministers also unveiled the plaque for an institute set to come up in Vadodara to train about 4000 personnel to efficiently run upcoming bullet train in India.
Prime Minister Modi called bullet train a gift from Japan to India. “The bullet train project is one which bring about great speed, great development and great technology...It is human-friendly and eco-friendly,” he said.
Stressing that the next-generation growth would happen along high-speed corridors, Modi said that the entire area between Mumbai and Ahmedabad would come in a single economic zone. “Trade will be encouraged. Connectivity between places will increase. Whether this leads to transfer of manpower or exchange of goods, these aspects of connectivity will become very simple,” he added.
“Next time when I come to Ahmedabad, I hope to enjoy the beautiful scenery of India through windows of the bullet train along with Prime Minister Modi,” Shinzo Abe said after laying foundation stone.
Abe said that Japan entered the era of 10% economic growth and in toleague of developed nations after beginning of Shinkansen (high-speed bullet train) in 1964. “This brought about a change in the economy and lifestyle of people of Japan,” he said adding that it will help create a “new India”.
“Today, we can see a glance of the bright future for India and Japan,” the Japanese prime minister further said.
Calling his Indian counterpart a global and visionary leader who took a decision two years ago to bring bullet train to India, Japanese PM said that his country was committed to help India realise this dream. “Strong India is in interest of Japan and strong Japan is in interest of India,” he said adding that cooperation between India Japan had transcended bilateral relationship and one that has important role to play in the Indian Ocean and Pacific region.
Of the Rs 1.10 lakh crore, Japan would extend a soft loan of Rs 88,000 crore at an interest of 0.1% payable over 50 years, with grace period of 15 years. The train would halt at a dozen railway stations, whilst coveringdistance between Ahmedabad and Mumbai in two hours, instead of seven currently. A 21-km-long tunnel would also be part of this project and dug between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, including 7-km under sea tunnel.
Both the Prime Ministers also unveiled the plaque for an institute set to come up in Vadodara to train about 4000 personnel to efficiently run upcoming bullet train in India.
Prime Minister Modi called bullet train a gift from Japan to India. “The bullet train project is one which bring about great speed, great development and great technology...It is human-friendly and eco-friendly,” he said.
Stressing that the next-generation growth would happen along high-speed corridors, Modi said that the entire area between Mumbai and Ahmedabad would come in a single economic zone. “Trade will be encouraged. Connectivity between places will increase. Whether this leads to transfer of manpower or exchange of goods, these aspects of connectivity will become very simple,” he added.