A source from the government echoed his view and said that Japan, which is giving soft loans for the project, is increasing its funding for the project to $5 billion per year from the earlier commitment of $3 billion.

It is often pointed out that every rupee invested in ramping up the railway infrastructure benefits the economy six times over. Soon after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power in May 2014, a committee was formed under Professor Bibek Debroy to restructure the Railway Board, the powerful body that oversees all technical and policy matters pertaining to the public-sector transporter. A majority of recommendations made by the senior economist at the New Delhi-based Centre of Policy Research was implemented. Two cross-functional directorates for non-tariff revenue and mobility, reporting directly to the Chairman of the Railway Board, were constituted. Powers were also delegated to general managers and divisional railway managers to expedite decision-making.

Even as political opposition continues for the bullet train project from states like Maharashtra and Gujarat, Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal remains optimistic and does not see "any stress" in getting the land for the ambitious high speed rail (HSR) project, primarily on the increased compensation that the Government is offering.

It is often pointed out that every rupee invested in ramping up railway infrastructure benefits the economy six times over. Therefore, after languishing for nearly 70 years, modernisation of the sector has been put on the fast track.

Urban planners are developing seamlessly integrated transportation services, while also according ease of travel options for commuters without the routine hassles of congestion, delays and lack of intermodal connectivity.

While all the pressure to build a railway network in India in the mid-nineteenth century came from London, it is well into the 21st century that pressures of a very different kind are at work in modern-day India.

Hitachi India, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd, recently organised the Hitachi SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM 2015, in New Delhi. The two-day forum sought to bring together esteemed participants to deliberate upon how social innovation can propel India

Sunil Srivastava, Managing Director, Balaji Railroad Systems Ltd, comments on the dismal state of the Indian Railways, delayed projects, and the government´s role in improving the sector.

Taking precedence from Japan which heralded the ´bullet train´ legacy in 1964, the world began to partake of this ´race against time´. High-speed rail (HSR), which uses an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks, can significantly enhance the connectivity and trade between major cities in a country.