Why a Bengaluru-Mysore bullet train is a bad idea

There was no point in considering a bullet train with 350 kmph speed on the existing Bengaluru and Mysuru Railway line as the train's potential will not be fully utilised because of short distance between the two cities, Principal Adviser of DMRC E Sreedharan said.

In a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Sreedharan said that it would be a ‘sensible’ proposal to run trains with a maximum speed of 200 kmph and not 350 kmph between Bengaluru and Mysuru on a high speed railway line on a different alignment.

Sreedharan's letter comes in the wake of reports that a Chinese technical team has submitted a report to the Railways stating that it is not feasible to run high speed trains between Bengaluru and Mysuru on the existing Railway line.

Noting that the railway distance between Bengaluru and Mysuru along the existing Railway line is 130 kms, he said a direct alignment would reduce it by about 20 kms.

"Since the distance between Mysuru and Bengaluru would only be 110 kms, there is no point in considering a bullet train with a speed of 350 kmph on this route, particularly when the distance needed for such a train to accelerate alone will be about 45 kms before the full speed is achieved," he said.

"That means the potential of 350 kmph speed will not be fully utilised due to short distance between the two cities," he said.

"A Chinese expert team is not necessary to give such an opinion. This is known to any sensible Railway Engineer," he said.

Sreedharan said Railway construction with 200 kmph would cost about Rs 90 crore (Rs 900 billion) to Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) per km, which means the project is feasible in Rs 11,000 crore (Rs 110 billion) within five years.

He also said the project should be taken up as a government initiative with the state government and central government jointly covering 40 per cent of the cost and the remaining 60 per cent borrowed from the market which would make it financially sustainable.

DMRC, he said, could prepare a Detailed Project Report for the project within 8 to 9 months.

Image: A bullet train; Photograph: Reuters; The image is used for representational purpose only