Next game changer: High-speed rail

India is ripe for a massive new infrastructure thrust, onethat should beas transformative and rejuvenating for the economy as the National Highways Development Project and the renewables initiative have been.

- VINAYAK CHATTERJEE

And that, indubitably, is a high-speed rail (HSR) mega-programme. India’s per-capita gross domestic product (on a purchasing power parity basis) is now ona par with that of countries that pioneered HSR several decades ago — pointing to the fact that this is the righttime for India to make the leap from conventional rail to HSR.

The case for prioritising HSR has also gained salience after August 18, when the Prime Minister convened the finance, commerce, and railways ministers, along with leading economists, to craft a fresh agenda for boosting economic growth. India has repeatedly shown that bold infrastructure dreams can become reality when propelled by political will, bolstered by associated policies and anchored by strong institutions. HSR must move beyond a one-off project (bullet train) and become the next national programme.

For decades, traditional trains have been India'sarteries, movingover23mil-lion passengers daily along with vital freight. But with 60,466 crore in passenger subsidies, HSR can ease this burden by drawing new aspirational travellers willing to pay much more for speed and comfort. The Railways also urgently needsto compete effectively with affordable air travel and intercity luxury coaches.