Bullet Train project gains momentum

Officers from Delhi meet Mysuru authorities; 53 hectares of land to be acquired in Mysuru

Mysore/Mysuru: High-Speed Bullet Train project proposed for the Mysuru-Bengaluru- Chennai route has gained momentum following a meeting between officers and representatives of the District Administration at the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office in the city to discuss the construction of the rail corridor.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) P. Shivaraju recently presided over a preliminary meeting with officers of National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), New Delhi, at the DC’s Office. Farmers from Mandya and Ramanagara districts also attended the meeting.

ADC Shivaraju stated that the Rail Corporation officers explained various features of the bullet train, including its maximum speed, track design and the extent of land required for the project, among other key details, to the local farmers and officers.

53 hectares of land in Mysuru

“For now, there is a requirement for 53 hectares of land in the district. Similar to the Metro train, the Bullet Train will run on a track to be laid over a bridge, with Manipal Hospital Junction on the outskirts of the city being the presumptive launch point,” he said.

“However, there is no clarity yet on several other matters associated with the project, including the location of the station. Another round of meetings will be chaired by the DC and attended by Rail Corporation officers, during which we expect to gain clarity on several matters, including the High-Speed Rail Corridor,” said ADC Shivaraju.

While 53 hectares of land are required in Mysuru district, hundreds of hectares will be acquired in Mandya district, said Shivaraju, allaying farmers’ fears by clarifying that the project may not require vast expanses of land, as most of the track will be laid over a bridge. The overbridge requires 17 metres (55 feet) of space, and the land will be acquired accordingly.

The survey along the route from Mysuru to Chennai has already been completed, along with a desktop study and primary development works. Preparations are underway to study the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and conduct the Ranging Survey, among other tasks.

The Central Government has conceptualised the Bullet Train project to connect Mysuru, the cultural capital and a prominent tourist hub, with Bengaluru, known as Silicon City due to its booming IT sector, and Chennai, an evolving automobile hub.

Once implemented, the project is expected to reduce the journey time from Mysuru to Chennai to one hour. It promises multiple benefits for development and tourism. The project is expected to commence after the completion of the ongoing Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, India’s first  Bullet Train project.