Trivandrum-Kasargod High-Speed Rail Corridor| Proposed

[_GrapeWine_]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Is there any larger economic hub, than Bangalore or Hyderabad, to make CIAL India's 4th busiest airport, much larger than Beta Global city- Bangalore? Any realistic economic activity to make so?

really?? CIAL is 4th busiest airport in India?? I didn't know about this.. any source/numbers?

[raghussc]

Btw, CIAL is the business airport of Kerala for sure.

MI: may be next time you had to write about CIAL, do mention if it's domestic or international or both that its the 4th busiest .. This way it'll be clear.

Also, FYI, it's not just Kerala but most other Indian states are victims of IR.

Kerala has stopped electing the communists, so some day one or more of their MPs will have a chance to a become a Union minister for some portfolio and then use him/her/them to influence railways minister to add projects into IR pipeline.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

I just want to know how will Govt of kerala convince the private players who would like to go in PPP mode to invest in HSR.

Projected traffic study for 2021? Fares by then? Escalated cost during construction process etc etc.

I ask the same questions to Govt of karnataka as well,which has a govt which loves to generate feel good waves before elections.

Well, I am definitely not supporting corporate PPP in such extreme capital intensive projects. Kerala's concept of PPP doesn't mean you have one GMR or GVK or similar corporate holding a substantial stake in the company along with one or two foreign players and govt holding a minority.....

Kerala's concept of PPP is the public subscribing the stakes, along with financial institutions as well as even a consortium of companies with govt holding the key stake..... This is what we call CIAL Model.......

In such a model, govt becomes a key decision maker while private companies/public be part of such venture to help govt to come out of its lethargy, without charging overboard for profits.......

In these kind of extreme Capital intensive projects, I join with E.Sreedharan's viewpoint of getting more state investment as the returns are not immediate.

Cochin Kingdom funded for Kochi-Shornour railway line, but not a single penny was ever realized as a direct income from that line, till now.... But the city of Kochi, got indirect revenue realization due to multiplier effects in the society.

The same might be applicable for HSR... The line may not reap huge profits.. It could maximum make an income equal to its expenses.... But its the society at large that going to make returns.....

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These are not mere election stunts.... Both LDF/UDF have same vision regarding this project, supported by experts and visionaries. Naturally its a project bound to stay longer......

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by raghussc

Btw, CIAL is the business airport of Kerala for sure.

MI: may be next time you had to write about CIAL, do mention if it's domestic or international or both that its the 4th busiest .. This way it'll be clear.

Also, FYI, it's not just Kerala but most other Indian states are victims of IR.

Kerala has stopped electing the communists, so some day one or more of their MPs will have a chance to a become a Union minister for some portfolio and then use him/her/them to influence railways minister to add projects into IR pipeline.

Sorry guys... I was trying to mean- CIAL 4th most busiest INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT....
------

Kerala do have several Union ministers in key positions now... Say A.K Antony is Number 2 in Indian Cabinet... We have people like Valayar Ravi as Overseas Indian Affairs Minister, K.C Venugopal as Minister for state- Power, Mullapally Ramachandran as Minister for state- Home as well as K.V Thomas- Civil Supplies Minister......

Many times, Kerala got key Ministers for state in Railways and India's first Railway Minister- John Mattai was from Kerala... The key problem are not getting ministerial berths.... For past one decade or two, railway ministry is held by regional parties and their ministers blindly allocated projects only in their region.... Kerala donot have any regional parties at national level...

Secondly we have issues in getting acquiring land for railways... Our state is densely populated... When we try to draw a new line at grade, people will severely object. The reason is simple. At Grade Railway lines depreciate land values near to the line and makes things more difficult, like crossing etc...

Added with Railway Bureaucracy and red-tapes which even Indian Prime Minister can't untape, many factors associated with Railway Development in Kerala are beyond redemption.........

[raghussc]

So, on one hand, you mean to say that people of Kerala won't like IR to take up any new lines, and on the other hand you want to blame IR that it has neglected Kerala ? Is that what I hear ?

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by raghussc

So, on one hand, you mean to say that people of Kerala won't like IR to take up any new lines, and on the other hand you want to blame IR that it has neglected Kerala ? Is that what I hear ?

I am saying, we have a 3 Dimensional problem.....

There are many areas, where you have lines, but underserved, say- Malabar side or southern Travancore area... IR not have added enough trains for it....

Wherever Land has been acquired, thro' intensive efforts of the state, IR's red tapes are going more slower than snail....

In some areas, you have land and just quadrupling is required to reduce congestion-- Say Kochi-Coimbatore sector.... It took more than 16 years for IR to draw a second line to this sector, when the same line was drawn by Kochi Kingdom in just 3 years.... And now it has completed 14 years, since the idea of quadrupling came up, due to extreme congestion... Land is already available there....

Equally Kerala was asking for introducing ABS so as without any additional doubling, existing lines can serve more effectively. Nothing done so far....

Even MEMUs allotted to Kerala was taken to Chennai and TN, and people are forced to depend on express trains even for short distance.... Main trains have not yet commenced, despite of its announcement......

These are not fault of delays in Land Acquisition, but the extreme red tapism and bureaucracy of IR....

Equally, there are issues in land acquisition for new lines... Say Sabari Line etc... Thats a different story..

So in both ways, you have serious issues... I am not saying, people of Kerala is so prefect and generous in giving their land and yet railways not doing nothing...

But wherever its available, railways is not doing nothing.... This is what we say, we can't count railways in anyway.. People who spared their precious land, just wasted it, as railways didn't do anything till now... Even for one rail overbridge, we are forced to wait for decades......

[sid13]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

We explained this many many many times..... Many services at the time of planning, seems not to useful for mass public.... But over a period of time, it will become the most popular common...

Say Railways... When introduced in 1850s, it wasn't accessible for common public... Even the third class, is accessible only for the middle class, not the real poor who still depended bullock carts... Is that situation now? Now there is no third class itself....

Say when airlines was introduced, it was meant for Presidents and Princes... Then came it executive level.... Today it became a mass service.... Tommorrow it might became common man's service...

Owning a car was a dream in 1930s even for Middle class... Today pay Rs 15,000 Rs and Pay just 3000 monthly... You can have a Tata Nano at your porch....Perhaps tommorrow it may be accessible for even Rs 100, if Rs 100 holds any value then.....

So does that mean cmon let us go ahead and make this capital intrinsic project with money of people who cant actually use it, but they would surely use it tomorrow? (after how many years). Its not only a question of catering to a very small creamy-layer but also a question of returns. I mean not profits, but can by just catering to creamy layer in kerala this project be viable? ie just at least break even in a sane number of years?

In Japan, is it general Public who uses HSR or only the so-called creamy public? Why do we build tax-payers money for capital intensive Nuclear plants or dams? Why can't it be used just for small projects, aimed for only aam-admi....

Silliest of arguements - Both damns and nuclear power stations benefit the aam-admi most - Low cost Power for farmers and small houses, water for irrigation etc. a dam is not a swimming pool And in Japan on profitable lines ticket rates are equal to or more than air fare. but what is GDP of Japan and what is of Kerala? hi hi hi

You build every infrastructure for next 50-60 years vision, not for the so-called aam-admi of next 5 years... Its where India losing much of its steam and where others marched ahead.....

I agree totally that infra projects have to be long term with long term goals in mind. but a technically intrinsic infra project cannot be aiming 60 years ahead. the problem is technology changes so rapidly. the technology of HSR we are trying to implement is tried and tested and has not undergone considerable development in so many years.(proof available on web and wiki) when we are looking ahead of 50 years can you even imagine what kinda technology Japan would be using? our HSR will be scrap by that time

Cochin's funding of Kochi-Shornour line is a classic example.... Tax-Payers money indeed used, for a service which majority of tax-payers didn't use... But its used more than 120% today's generation.....

Invalid example. Do I even have to explain the reason? its available above. When world is moving to smarter greener power generation and transportation technology we are trying to run back.

We are getting something in return...The expertise... Good if you can identify someone of equal stature within Kerala and do it within Kerala.... There is no point in belittling an organization, which has proven........

I don't want to question DMRCs expertise in setting up metros. But like joke in Malayalam movie, just because you have not seen Dubai, it doesn't mean that Dubai does not exist

[sid13]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Typical viewpoint... In 1990s, there was a view PPP cannot be successful anywhere in India... Infosys Chairman Narayanamurthi said that time, such a venture can only be successful in cities like Bangalore due to buneoging new generation jobs and crowd....

What was the result... CIAL launched in 1999 and made its profits in 2002, while Narayanamurthi chaired BIAL was lagging all the time untill 2005....

Everything is feasible anywhere, as long as its planned well, positioned well and marketed well... You have a notion of Kerala, which is your personal... Its far away from reality... Kerala is indeed a place having one of the largest purchasing power..... If people of Kerala, finds value in HSR, surely they will pay it... If not, they will not.......

Comparing CIAL to HSR is so silly. Anyway arguments are not backed by any logical points. I am not against development. But please remember, purchasing power of what sorts? of what scale by people from which economic class? what is gdp of majority of middle class? Everything is feasible everywhere? Ya right! Dude be ambitious but don't let it blind logic.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by sid13

So does that mean cmon let us go ahead and make this capital intrinsic project with money of people who cant actually use it, but they would surely use it tomorrow? (after how many years). Its not only a question of catering to a very small creamy-layer but also a question of returns. I mean not profits, but can by just catering to creamy layer in kerala this project be viable? ie just at least break even in a sane number of years?

I think, most of the topics we discuss here, now have been discussed umpteen number of times in this very thread. Just going back, will make one realize....

Well, you ask for whom it caters... Our middle class itself is buenoging day after day. The level of spending by this very class, has changed even within one year....

Well, I know, this example is not valid in context of HSR, but just to point out the changing consumption trend... In 2009, Subway Kochi was closed citing lack of popularity. Kochinites were not ready to spend Rs 130 for a small 6 ft sandwich, even if healthwise good.... The same Subway opened in 2011 in Kochi and you find almost a packed crowd there.... How come within 1.5 years the consumption pattern changed?

Yes, I repeat, this above example is not valid in context for HSR... But you can't say, the consumption pattern will remain forever for same.... Perhaps today it might be meant for creamy layer, it doesn't mean tommorrow it will so.... And that too, we are talking about a service after 6 or 7 years, in a world where changes happens within days or months......

Silliest of arguements - Both damns and nuclear power stations benefit the aam-admi most - Low cost Power for farmers and small houses, water for irrigation etc. a dam is not a swimming pool And in Japan on profitable lines ticket rates are equal to or more than air fare. but what is GDP of Japan and what is of Kerala? hi hi hi

This also equally benefit.... Mobility increases business. Business creates more employment opporunities. More employement improves more consumption of goods/services.... The circle of economics goes....

Thats what I again repeat Kochi-Shornur line as a classic example.... That line never helped the AAM-ADMI of 1900s to use it and make revenues.... Nor the state didn't earn even a single penny as its revenue... But one single line, improved the economic prospects of 2 major towns- Kochi and Thrissur. Today this stretch became the powerhouse of State's economy. Kochi Port itself is a creation of multiplier benefits of that line. The increase of trade of Thrissur made it Gold-Silk capital of Kerala and many of its traders became global brands....

Regarding GDP of Japan, we had discussed the same point, some months ago. In 1960s, when Japan was planning for HSR (World's first) it had an GDP equal to Kerala of today.... And with that GDP, it created a system and fuelled the economy to today's level..... Today we are just replicating the same... I call it an inspiration......

And yes, we too have our own example, how mere 2 lakh revenue state funds for 44 lakh system in 3 years and how that made it state to fuel its growth within 3 decades...... Good, if we look back to our history too, as HISTORY IS A MIRROR THAT REFLECTS FUTURE.....

I agree totally that infra projects have to be long term with long term goals in mind. but a technically intrinsic infra project cannot be aiming 60 years ahead. the problem is technology changes so rapidly. the technology of HSR we are trying to implement is tried and tested and has not undergone considerable development in so many years.(proof available on web and wiki) when we are looking ahead of 50 years can you even imagine what kinda technology Japan would be using? our HSR will be scrap by that time

Is IR using the so-called 60 years plus technology that fuels the progress of the nation? Man, our IR is struck in 1950s era technology and mindset... Yet India is using it, isn't it.... Are we still using the time tested technologies, say Jets etc... Didn't we switch over to Concordes of Supersonics yet?

Some technologies still have relevance, say for a 100 year period etc.... If we can use 1940s era IR in 2012, why not 2000s technology atleast in 2018, rather looking for more 1940s era IR options.......

I don't want to question DMRCs expertise in setting up metros. But like joke in Malayalam movie, just because you have not seen Dubai, it doesn't mean that Dubai does not exist

Just because we live in Dubai, it doesn't mean we have to think for NEW YORK.... When we have our own expertise and an organization that aims and plans bigger and proven, naturally we can surely respect it.....

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by sid13

Comparing CIAL to HSR is so silly. Anyway arguments are not backed by any logical points. I am not against development. But please remember, purchasing power of what sorts? of what scale by people from which economic class? what is gdp of majority of middle class? Everything is feasible everywhere? Ya right! Dude be ambitious but don't let it blind logic.

I am not a fool to compare a Rs 300 crore CIAL project in 1990s to a 1.5 Lakh crore project...

But I was comparing the regular pessimistic attitude, which remained in both 1990s as well as today...... Yes, that time, there was opinion, why Rs 300 Crore for a second airport... Why not do that, do this etc.....

More serious comments- How its possible for PPP in civil aviation sector? All were impossible....

But it became possible.... The concept of value differs for different people...And given the fact, the economic rate and purchasing power is fastly rising, its not a major issue

[engineer.akash]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Sorry guys... I was trying to mean- CIAL 4th most busiest INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT....
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I was asking about intra kerala cities traffic by 2021,international load towards gulf cannot be justified for HSR in kerala connecting state cities!

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by engineer.akash

I was asking about intra kerala cities traffic by 2021,international load towards gulf cannot be justified for HSR in kerala connecting state cities!

DMRC and Wilbur Smith Consultancy have already prepared current traffic data and potential traffic data. It carries details of intra-Kerala Cities Travel

Pls check here http://khsrcl.com/downloads/Chapter%203%20Traffic.pdf

The current stats is that, there are around 8 lakh daily trips happens between the stretch calculated for HSR route.... Estimated to around 1.08 Million daily trips by 2016 and 1.26 Million by 2021......

Is that justifies the higher rate of mobility within the state of Kerala?

[sid13]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

DMRC and Wilbur Smith Consultancy have already prepared current traffic data and potential traffic data. It carries details of intra-Kerala Cities Travel

Pls check here http://khsrcl.com/downloads/Chapter%203%20Traffic.pdf

The current stats is that, there are around 8 lakh daily trips happens between the stretch calculated for HSR route.... Estimated to around 1.08 Million daily trips by 2016 and 1.26 Million by 2021......

Is that justifies the higher rate of mobility within the state of Kerala?

Yes, how does it justify HSR though? does this a major chunk of that can be diverted through HSR? what are the factors that make people decide if they want to use car or HSR? any study on such behavioural aspects? and also the factors that leads to such decisions? if so please present it.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by sid13

Yes, how does it justify HSR though? does this a major chunk of that can be diverted through HSR? what are the factors that make people decide if they want to use car or HSR? any study on such behavioural aspects? and also the factors that leads to such decisions? if so please present it.

Please be kind enough to read the full report, which considers all multiple probabilities in a scientific manner. They have calculate the probable values in case of base, optimistic and pessimistic manner

How can you do behavioral feasibility study? Human behavior cannot be predetermined and it varies even due to most silliest factor.... That too, its something ridiculous say, we can study the behavior pattern for consumption for a product in service after 6 or 7 years....

If we could correctly determine like this, the world wouldn't have a single wastage or other issues and all services would be running fully profitable.

There could be multiple factors influencing a decision... Combination of social factors are too difficult to be calculated... Say if we have indices of number of mandays lost due to union issues as per 1960s era data, does it have any relevance in 2012, when such incidents have reduced to extremely rare?

[sid13]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

Please be kind enough to read the full report, which considers all multiple probabilities in a scientific manner. They have calculate the probable values in case of base, optimistic and pessimistic manner

How can you do behavioral feasibility study? Human behavior cannot be predetermined and it varies even due to most silliest factor.... That too, its something ridiculous say, we can study the behavior pattern for consumption for a product in service after 6 or 7 years....

If we could correctly determine like this, the world wouldn't have a single wastage or other issues and all services would be running fully profitable.

There could be multiple factors influencing a decision... Combination of social factors are too difficult to be calculated... Say if we have indices of number of mandays lost due to union issues as per 1960s era data, does it have any relevance in 2012, when such incidents have reduced to extremely rare?

So are you saying, because its difficult to predict the amount of people who would opt for hsr and the factors that would control that decision let us not study about it? isn't it a very decisive factor in the success of hsr? just because there is enough traffic in a particular route does that ensure that an enough amount of same travelers would opt for HSR? when that itself is a factor that is of paramount importance, I am not saying we have to go and ask each individual prospective traveler about his/ her preference? but shouldn't we identify some trends and triggering factors? are you saying lets us not consider this ultimately decisive factor and invest huge amounts in to this project?

Also why are you mentioning/ comparing (whatever) about 1960s data now with this? what sense does it make?

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by sid13

So are you saying, because its difficult to predict the amount of people who would opt for hsr and the factors that would control that decision let us not study about it? isn't it a very decisive factor in the success of hsr? just because there is enough traffic in a particular route does that ensure that an enough amount of same travelers would opt for HSR? when that itself is a factor that is of paramount importance, I am not saying we have to go and ask each individual prospective traveler about his/ her preference? but shouldn't we identify some trends and triggering factors? are you saying lets us not consider this ultimately decisive factor and invest huge amounts in to this project?

Also why are you mentioning/ comparing (whatever) about 1960s data now with this? what sense does it make?

\

If we predict the future so prefectly, then the whole world would have been changed by now? You can only forecast based on available data...

We have certain set of data, say the rate at which our economy is growing, the consumption rate, the employment rate, investment rate etc... These all are trigger factors. It have been mentioned in the primary report.

In addition, we have data, the rate at which vehicles are increasing, types of vechicles increasing and the number of trips made etc... These are trends in the society...

The decision to switch over from one service to another, depends lot on many other factors too...

Imagine, I own a Merc or Audi, but I take 6 hours to reach Trivandrum from Kochi due to traffic congestion, narrow roads and more vehicles, whereas there is another option for HSR, to reach the city in 45 mins, naturally I might move to other, if I have priority for time... Such a decision has a relevance, only when such an option is available, which I can't think now..... Whereas if I have no priority and I am particular to drive the car, I will not... These factors are beyond any forecast.... What we consider are likely factors....

We know, we have serious limitations to increase width of the road... It is taking more than 15 to 20 years, even to widen 30 or 45m, which means by 2020, we will surely get more congestion in our Highways. None of our highways are meant for PURE-INTER-CITY TRAVEL unlike TN or Karnataka or other states of India. They are indeed part of several 100 small cities and used for short distance trips too.

In such a case, when an option to travel more faster than IR and Road is available, people are likely to shift. Will such a shift happens at forecasted rate or not, can be known only after the service is introduced....

There was a lot of hue and cry for MEMU. But when one set was introduced, it was not house-packed, as there was multiple factors like poor timings, slowness etc... These factors influenced the load, which was lesser than the forecasted load. But its something due to efficiency factor and managerial factors. Its too beyond to comment at forecasting stage......

[aam admi]

There has been some very interesting debate. I am all for HSR. I also think that only kerala HSR looks possible in near future of all the HSR talked about in India. Though with change of gaurd at IR, we may see something positive happening on Ahemedabad - Mumbai HSR. But there are various ifs and buts with IR being incharge. Mr. Shreedharan has done very right thing by convincing Kerala to go for HSR on its own. It unshakeles this project from politics and red tap of IR. I have high hopes with this project because Shreedharan has shown time and again his ability to do projects in time and under tough conditions. Being from north part of India, I may not be regular user of this line. But I see ahope for HSR in India if Shreedharan can pull it off. It would benefit HSR in India as DMRC did for metro rail in India. After DMRC every city is confident of doing something similar.
This project shall be implemented on PPP model. The project report shall be prepared accordingly. With the available VGF, tickets shall be fixed such that the project is financially viable for private partner. Tax payers money shall not be wasted on such a high capital intensive project. I am also not in favour of asking for JICA loan. In case the line does not prove to be financially viable, govt. will have to pay back the loan which again is taxpayers money. The revenue from ticket and VGF shall be enough to make this project atractive for private partner. Mr. Shreedharan would do well to change his oft repeated stand against PPP. His arguments are not been very convincing in light of new developement like HMR, NHAI projects, Airports etc. It would be really very good for the project.

[mohammedirshad06]

Originally Posted by aam admi

There has been some very interesting debate. I am all for HSR. I also think that only kerala HSR looks possible in near future of all the HSR talked about in India. Though with change of gaurd at IR, we may see something positive happening on Ahemedabad - Mumbai HSR. But there are various ifs and buts with IR being incharge. Mr. Shreedharan has done very right thing by convincing Kerala to go for HSR on its own. It unshakeles this project from politics and red tap of IR. I have high hopes with this project because Shreedharan has shown time and again his ability to do projects in time and under tough conditions. Being from north part of India, I may not be regular user of this line. But I see ahope for HSR in India if Shreedharan can pull it off. It would benefit HSR in India as DMRC did for metro rail in India. After DMRC every city is confident of doing something similar.
This project shall be implemented on PPP model. The project report shall be prepared accordingly. With the available VGF, tickets shall be fixed such that the project is financially viable for private partner. Tax payers money shall not be wasted on such a high capital intensive project. I am also not in favour of asking for JICA loan. In case the line does not prove to be financially viable, govt. will have to pay back the loan which again is taxpayers money. The revenue from ticket and VGF shall be enough to make this project atractive for private partner. Mr. Shreedharan would do well to change his oft repeated stand against PPP. His arguments are not been very convincing in light of new developement like HMR, NHAI projects, Airports etc. It would be really very good for the project.

Without JICA loan, its impossible to cover half of the total expenses... You can depend on public subscription for 1.2 Lakh crore, which even top companies like Reliance or Tata may not able to create....

Kerala is not in favour of one or two major companies to take a substainal stake and operate the line. In such a case, we might end up like a very expensive DIAL....

The likely PPP route would be CIAL model... But its not that easy to get 1.2 Lakh crore subscriptions and govt investment... So, I would say, atleast 50% thro' these sources and remaining funding thro' JICA.....

[sid13]

Kottayam/Thiruvananthapuram : The state government is learnt to be reviewing the high-speed rail project.The stiff opposition from the public against land acquisition and the uncertainty over the funding pattern for the Rs 1.2 lakh crore project had prompted a rethinking among a section of the cabinet,sources said.
It is learnt that the government has already asked the Kerala High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd to stop the land survey initiated in connection with the project.The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation,which is preparing a detailed project report of the high speed corridor,is expected to submit its report in December.
Additional chief secretary in charge of industries V Somasundaran said,The government will take a decision on the project only after obtaining the DMRC study report.
The project was showcased at the recent Emerging Kerala summit and the Centre had taken a favourable stance towards the project.Kerala High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd chairman and managing director T Balakrishnan told TOI on Saturday that a delegation led by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had shown interest in offering financial and technical support for the project at the meet.
Sources said a section of ministers who directly experienced the land acquisition hurdles was against going ahead with the project and they have conveyed their sentiments to the chief minister.However,the chief minister and top officials in charge of the project prefer to wait for the detailed project report for taking a decision.

Food for thought

[sid13]

Originally Posted by mohammedirshad06

\

If we predict the future so prefectly, then the whole world would have been changed by now? You can only forecast based on available data...

We have certain set of data, say the rate at which our economy is growing, the consumption rate, the employment rate, investment rate etc... These all are trigger factors. It have been mentioned in the primary report.

In addition, we have data, the rate at which vehicles are increasing, types of vechicles increasing and the number of trips made etc... These are trends in the society...

The decision to switch over from one service to another, depends lot on many other factors too...

Imagine, I own a Merc or Audi, but I take 6 hours to reach Trivandrum from Kochi due to traffic congestion, narrow roads and more vehicles, whereas there is another option for HSR, to reach the city in 45 mins, naturally I might move to other, if I have priority for time... Such a decision has a relevance, only when such an option is available, which I can't think now..... Whereas if I have no priority and I am particular to drive the car, I will not... These factors are beyond any forecast.... What we consider are likely factors....

We know, we have serious limitations to increase width of the road... It is taking more than 15 to 20 years, even to widen 30 or 45m, which means by 2020, we will surely get more congestion in our Highways. None of our highways are meant for PURE-INTER-CITY TRAVEL unlike TN or Karnataka or other states of India. They are indeed part of several 100 small cities and used for short distance trips too.

In such a case, when an option to travel more faster than IR and Road is available, people are likely to shift. Will such a shift happens at forecasted rate or not, can be known only after the service is introduced....

There was a lot of hue and cry for MEMU. But when one set was introduced, it was not house-packed, as there was multiple factors like poor timings, slowness etc... These factors influenced the load, which was lesser than the forecasted load. But its something due to efficiency factor and managerial factors. Its too beyond to comment at forecasting stage......

I understand your point, but as you also i hope would surely agree, HSR cannot be an alternate to developing our highways and existing smaller roads. Even if HSR comes to existence without these support mechanisms (in the forms of wider highways and better smaller roads) still the HSR wont be much attractive. Why are we not even trying to begin work on roads were land acquisition is already over? why are we not maintaining our highways and smaller roads without pot holes? why are we not providing elevated pass ways and underground ways where its required and feasible? Why are we running to this super costly option with so much vigor without even putting in substantial efforts to pursue other options in front of us.

As you have rightly mentioned why are we committing so much money of people who own only a motorcycle (or nothing) for providing better transportation to Merc and Audi owners.

And have you ever considered the cost of land acquisition and devaluation of land caused by this project which has already become a nightmare for thousands of families?