{"id":1461,"date":"2016-02-02T19:55:57","date_gmt":"2016-02-02T18:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.revistaitransporte.com\/como-ir-en-ave-desde-nueva-delhi-a-calcuta\/?lang=en"},"modified":"2016-02-26T09:14:13","modified_gmt":"2016-02-26T08:14:13","slug":"how-to-go-from-new-delhi-to-kolkata-by-ave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revistaitransporte.com\/how-to-go-from-new-delhi-to-kolkata-by-ave\/","title":{"rendered":"How to go from New Delhi to Kolkata by AVE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spanish engineering and its 3,000 kilometres of AVE has made an impression on the country with one of the most extensive rail networks in the world. A team of engineers and experts from Ineco, Typsa an ICT have been working since 2015 on examining down to the last detail the feasibility study for the future high-speed line that will connect the capital New Delhi with Kolkata.<\/p>\n

After years of postponed initiatives, the current government \u2013the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)\u2013 led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given a definitive push to implement the high-speed line between its four main cities: New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. These four metropolises together have a population of 55 million people in a country with 1,276 billion inhabitants (one sixth of the world\u2019s population). New Delhi has a metropolitan area of around 17 million inhabitants, Mumbai, 18, Kolkata, 14, and Chennai, formerly Madras, around 6 million.<\/p>\n

The current government has given a definitive push to implement high speed in the country<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Modi has made the industrial development of the country the central focus of his mandate, represented by the \u2018Make in India\u2019 campaign, which aims to promote internal production and reduce dependence on foreign countries. To stimulate his economy, the construction of infrastructure, particularly railways and roads, are crucial. Since his arrival to the government in summer 2014, the Prime Minister has implemented the Diamond Quadrilateral Program, a diamond with four corners, which includes the cities of New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, separated by more than 1,000 kilometres and connected by modern rail infrastructure: the seed of India\u2019s future high-speed network. The project of this corridor covers 14 states and will serve as an economic driver as well as contributing to rejuvenate the country\u2019s very old rail network, in which every day 18,000 trains operate, around 23 million passengers travel and around 2.6 million tonnes of goods are transported.<\/p>\n

Although trains are the mode of transport most used in India \u2013the country is literally knit together with a network of 64,460 kilometres\u2013 modernisation of its infrastructure and improved travel times and safety are issues that need to be resolved, which new investments aim to remedy.<\/p>\n

Ineco was helped in the awarding of this tender by the support and commercial coordination of the Spain Business Overseas office in India. From New Delhi, its delegate Pedro Sinu\u00e9s has remarked that \u201cthe ability and technical experience of Spanish companies has allowed them to achieve the Diamond Quadrilateral tender, which has placed India on the international high-speed map\u201d. \u201cProof of it \u2013added Sinu\u00e9s\u2013 is that the consortium led by Ineco competed against 11 other international consortiums. As such, it becomes more important that two Ineco-led Spanish companies can apply their knowledge acquired in Spain to such an emblematic corridor (connecting what was the capital of India until 1911 with the current capital) and it is important in the socioeconomic structuring of the country\u201d.<\/p>\n

The amount awarded is over two million euros and the execution period is one year<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The study, commissioned by the state company High Speed Rail Corporation of India Ltd. (HSRC), includes demand studies; prior analysis of route alternatives; calculation of journey times; selection of rail technology to implement (track gauge, track superstructure, electrification, communications and safety installations, etc.); necessary special works; regeneration and resettlement of affected populated areas; environmental analysis; rolling stock and operation and maintenance. Lastly, an economic-financial analysis will be carried out that will be used to determine the feasibility of the new line as well as the most adequate method of funding. The amount awarded is over two million euros and the execution period is one year.<\/p>\n

The length of the corridor is around 1,500 kilometres and it passes through cities of great commercial, social and touristic interest, such as New Delhi, Agra (the city of the well-known Taj Mahal), Aligarh, Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Mughal, Varanasi, Sarai, Patna, Gaya, Dhanbad, Asansol, Durgapur and Kolkata. The line runs through quite a flat area, near the river Ganges, and crosses various rivers and streams, which will require the design of viaducts.<\/p>\n

For F\u00e9lix Zapata, technical director of the project and Ineco engineer, \u201cthe work basically consists of analysing the feasibility of its construction, bearing in mind its financial cost and the social advantages that it will bring. Furthermore, we will offer the most appropriate financial model for its implementation\u201d. \u201cThe works \u2013adds Zapata\u2013 are aimed at achieving speeds and levels of comfort and safety within the modern high-speed standards. For this purpose, we will propose the most appropriate rail technology: type of track (ballast, slab track), electrification, communications and safety installations, rolling stock, specifications for the operation and maintenance of the new high-speed line, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n