Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's $12-billion loan at an incredibly low interest rate may have trumped China's aim to enter the enormous Indian Railways market, notes A K Bhattacharya.
According to the guidelines approved by the government, 100 per cent FDI can be utilised in facilities like cleaning up trains and installation of bio-toilets in passenger coaches and setting up of mechanised laundry services.
The new flights come against the backdrop of the Indian government's move to boost air connectivity with Central Asia and tap the interest of Russian investors in India.
Modi held talks with Abe after arriving in the Laotian capital to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-India and the East Asia summits that will take place on Thursday.
The government has identified eight corridors to raise speed of existing trains.
DMRC-like SPV to be floated in a month for the Rs 98,000 crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor.
The project was announced by Prime Minister in September.
Steps to raise funds could include an across-the-board increase in railway fares, senior officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the Gandhinagar-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express semi-high speed train.
Modi will host dinner for Abe at a hotel in the old city area.
Presenting the Narendra Modi government's maiden Rail Budget, Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda announced setting up of logistic parks and private freight terminals on PPP model.
Moving ahead with the economic reforms, the Cabinet tonight cleared the long-delayed proposal for raising FDI limit in defence to 49 per cent and fully opened up the railway infrastructure segment, like high-speed trains, for foreign investment.
The expressway will decongest the road traffic from Delhi, especially reducing the number of trucks entering the national capital, helping reduce the pollution.
Silverline seems symptomatic of how Kerala -- its claimed education, awareness and all -- overlooks its real problems, notes Shyam G Menon.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor were also present with the PM as he interacted with the students inside the train.
India prepares itself for world class rail stations.
China plans to build a 540-kilometre strategic high-speed rail link between Tibet and Nepal passing through a tunnel under Mount Everest, a move that could raise alarm in India about the Communist giant's growing influence in its neighbourhood.
Passengers will get the thrill of riding under the sea while travelling between Mumbai and Ahmedabad
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The railway minister said that one-third studies have already been done.
The minister plans to reinstate the Railways as the backbone of the economy
The government on Monday invited France to "open shops" in the country to execute Railway projects and sought co-operation in areas of safety, customer service and high-speed train service.
The Rail Budget will announce introduction of AC suburban trains in Mumbai.
India should not miss the opportunity to develop high-speed railway.
Big challenge to garner sizeable additional resources.
The two major railway unions have proposed to the government an unprecedented alternative to privatisation or inviting foreign investment, to help raise funds and improve revenue.
Currently, the travel time between Mumbai and Delhi varies between 16 and 30 hours.
India as a large country should have inter-modal connectivity, which will help us make travel easier, safer and seamless. That is how you will also gain. You will gain more money, make more revenues, says Praful Patel.
The march, which commenced from Nashik on March 6, will culminate in Mumbai on Monday and protestors plan to gherao the Vidhan Bhavan where the Budget session of the state legislature is underway, said organisers.
'A slum free Mumbai cannot happen with Dharavi at the centre of the city.'
India and France on Friday signed 17 agreements, including on the stalled nuclear project in Jaitapur in Maharashtra, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with French President Francois Hollande.
A certain type of TGV, called V150, holds the world record for the highest speed on any national rail system. This record has been in place since April 2007.
Senior AICC member and former Union minister K V Thomas, who has been at loggerheads with the party's state leadership, on Wednesday said he would campaign for the ruling Left Democratic Front candidate Jo Joseph in the upcoming by-poll in the Thrikkakara Assembly constituency, but reiterated that he would not quit the Congress.
The project, the foundation stone for which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in September 2017, is facing resistance in eight districts of Gujarat, through which the train will run.
Modi, who addressed a public meeting in Hyderabad after laying foundation stone and inaugurating several development projects, also said the lack of cooperation from the state government is leading to delay in the completion of several central projects in Telangana.
Questioning the bullet train in view of the investment needed in Indian Railways is similar to saying that India needed to invest in primary education rather than in IITs, says Shreekant Sambrani.
Move follows Tata Steel decision to sell its loss-making businesses in Britain
To understand Modi, listen to what he does not say -- vide NRC, suggests Prem Panicker.
With these launches, the service is now live and available to users at 15 stations across the country.
Though Beijing asserts the Dalai Lama's successor needs its approval, observers say it remains concerned as the present Panchen Lama, the number two spiritual leader who was appointed by it after unseating the boy nominated by the Dalai Lama, has not gained much traction in Tibet.
The railways may offer high-speed train corridors to global players.
