NHSRCL Invites EIA, SIA & Utility ID Bids for Delhi – Varanasi HSR
Over the past few weeks, India’s National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) has published several notices inviting tenders (bids) for environment & social impact surveys, assessments, and utility identification along the proposed 865 km Delhi – Varanasi High-Speed Rail Line.
This move comes just a few weeks after they invited bids for preparing the final alignment design for 6 high-speed train lines, with an aim to prepare their individual detailed project reports (DPRs) as tasked by the Government of India in 2019.
Package NHSRCL/CO/CONTRACT/SIA-RAP/2020/06: Conducting Survey / Field Work & Preparation of Detailed Social Impact Assessment (SIA) / Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) For Proposed Delhi-Varanasi High Speed Rail Corridor (ABOUT 865 KMS. LENGTH).
• Date of Notice: 21-02-2020
• Last Date to Submit Bids: 13-03-2020 3:00:00 PM
Package NHSRCL/CO/ELECT/UTILITY/2020/05: Survey, Identification of Overhead, Over Ground, Underground Utilities and Identification of Power Sourcing Options for Substations Along the Proposed Delhi-Varanasi High Speed Rail Corridor (DVHSR)
• Date of Notice: 24-02-2020
• Last Date to Submit Bids: 18-03-2020 3:00:00 PM
Package NHSRCL/CO/CONTRACT/EIA/2020/07: Carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment Study / Field Work and Preparation of Environment Impact Assessment Report & Environment Management Plan For Proposed Delhi-Varanasi Section (ABOUT 865 KMS LONG)
• Date of Notice: 03-03-2020
• Last Date to Submit Bids 23-03-2020 3:00:00 PM
@ArjunM1412 on Twitter points out the tender documents (utility ID one) “reveals a surprise in the alignment – major city Kanpur is left out, while the much less populous Kannauj is included.”
The tentative stations stated in the document include – Delhi, Noida, Jewar, Mathura, Agra, New Etawah, South Kannauj, Lucknow, Raibareli, Prayagraj (Allahabad), New Bhadoi, and Varanasi.
NHSRCL is currently developing the 508 km Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Link (MAHSRL) project which will use Japanese-built Shinkansen bullet trains, but has run into land acquisition issues (only 47% of requisite land acquired by Jan-end) and an unsupportive new government in Maharashtra.
The publication of these new notices, specifically for the Delhi – Varanasi line out of 6 new lines, suggests the Central Government would like to expand HSR development efforts to regions where it receives unequivocal support from the local administration, something that Uttar Pradesh offers. The speed of development of big-ticket infrastructure projects (expressways, metros) over there has been phenomenal, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Delhi – Varanasi turns out to be the next HSR line to be developed.
For more updates, check out the High Speed Rail section of The Metro Rail Guy!
– TMRG
Thanks for the updates! Who would provide the funding this line?
Remains to be seen
How would a Delhi Varanasi HSR line even be economically feasible? That is the poorest and most lawless region of the country. Everyone knows what a train journey through the Northern plains is like. Villagers pull the chain and stop the train at random places to get on and get off, and seat reservations are never honoured.
Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Mysore-Chennai and Delhi-Jaipur-Chandigarh are the ideal routes for a HSR line given the passenger volume and the relative prosperity of these regions. But unfortunately, these regions are ruled by regimes hostile to the central government. And out there, China has built 35000km of HSR lines in 15 years.
This is just a first part of the larger delhi -howrah line and it will get its ridership as
the current track capacity is more than 150 percent utilised. Vande bharat express is a shining example in terms of revenue earned.
I have travelled on the mysore chennai route for a good number of years..and i dont see the rush on trains as compared to north..buses have taken a large chunk of passenger traffic. Really dont see the conversion from bus to train happening any time sooner.
The HSR will be financially more viable and profitable if the proposed Diamond Quadrilateral is developed. The standalone Pune-Ahmadabad isnt enough and should be seen as a pilot project. And we also need to keep the HSR system homogeneous and avoid mix-match in the system. Should go with Shinkansen tech even if its costly. HSR covering all the major cities should be the aim. I hope people see the utility and benefits of high speed railways.
It is a nice blog
HSR should be on shortest route from lucknow to varanasi via sultanpur. Shortest route would be beneficial for cost to govt..