China has a lot to offer to Indian Railways: Suresh Prabhu

China will also help us in station development and setting up of railway universities, Prabhu said.

Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu said that China has a lot to offer to the Indian Railways, delineating three points on which China has already extended helping hand to India in the rail sector, including high speed trains between New Delhi and Chennai, station development, and creation of universities to train human resources for the railways.

Speaking to the media on Saturday during his visit to Vadodara, Prabhu said, “China has already said it is going to help us in three-four areas, including setting up first high-speed train between Delhi and Chennai, for which we have to do feasibility study. China will also help us in station development and setting up of railway universities.”

“In the next few years’ time we are working on technology upgradation in participation with countries like China, which has high technology for speed trains. Development of human infrastructure by trainings and setting up of universities is also an area for which China is helping us. We also need to bring in investment in the sector so as to improve customer service and safety,” Prabhu, who was in Vadodara to participate in an award function organised by the Federation of Gujarat Industries, said.

As reported, railways infrastructure enhancement has been one of the points of discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, during the former’s visit to China. Raising train speed, training to handle heavy haul operations, and setting up of universities were discussed. Vadodara’s National Academy of Indian Railways (NAIR) is likely to be the first to be upgraded as a railway university, for which China has already assured support.

Prabhu said that apart from China, other countries such as Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and Spain have also shown “tremendous interest” in technology upgradation for Indian Railways. Japan has already expressed willingness to invest in the proposed Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

“We need technology upgradation and to fine out if there are other ocuntries that can participate in our development plans…Other countries like Japan has helped us create Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, for which we are doing feasibility studies. Korea, France, Germany, Spain…there are tremendous interest on the part of other counties also. Technology cooperation with China, Japan and France is what we are looking at,” Prabhu said.

“In the next few years’ time we are working on technology upgradation in participation with countries like China, which has high technology for speed trains that it might have got from other countries. Development of human infrastructure by trainings and setting up of universities is also an area for which China is helping us. We also need to bring in investment in the sector so as to improve customer service and safety,” he said.

Source:: Indian Express