The electrification process of the 508 km long Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train will kick start soon. It is a first-of-its-kind railway electrification project in India, which will involve the implementation of Japanese Shinkansen High-Speed Electrification Technology with sophisticated equipment including a Heavy Compound Catenary System, and Change Over Switches among others.
India’s multinational conglomerate Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) construction arm – the Railway Strategic Business Group has bagged the ‘mega order’ to set up an electrification system for the bullet train network in the country. The order has been bagged from an authorised Japanese agency.
“This is the largest single railway electrification project order ever placed in India. Our railways business is now in a unique position to leverage our strengths in design, procurement, construction capabilities as well as our relationship with various Japanese stakeholders for successful execution. The experience & technology transfer from this project shall help L&T in developing credentials for such future High-Speed Rail projects in India and abroad,” Advisor to Chairman & Managing Director for Railways Business, Rajeev Jyoti said in a statement.
“The railways strategic business group of L&T Construction has secured a mega contract to ….construct 508 route km of high-speed electrification system works for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project, popularly referred to as the bullet train project,” the L&T said in a filing to BSE.
Notably, the project is being funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and is being implemented by an authorised Japanese agency acting for and on behalf of National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd. While L&T did not disclose the exact value of the contract, it counts an order as ‘mega’ when it is valued between Rs 10,000-15,000 crore.
State-of-art electrification ecosystem
The scope of the deal includes design, manufacture, supply, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning of a 2 x 25 KV power supply electrification system including traction substations, high-speed overhead equipment, and MV/LV Power distribution equipment works on design-build lump sum price basis.
Upon completion, this electrification system will enable trains to travel at a speed of a staggering 320 kmph.