₹90,000 Crore Burden Claim False: NHSRCL Clarifies on Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project

In the midst of the ongoing debate on the increasing cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has clarified the matter. The corporation has stated that the reports and claims of the media regarding the increasing cost of the project, which has risen from 1.1 lakh crore rupees to 1.98 lakh crore rupees, and that Indian Railways will bear the additional expenditure of 90,000 crore rupees, are false.

The NHSRCL stated that it is incorrect to claim that the Indian Railways is being burdened with the increased cost. The project is being implemented by a dedicated entity (NHSRCL) with its own financial structure, with participation from the central and respective state governments. The corporation also dismissed reports of the Japanese agency JICA halting funding as baseless and speculative.

The corporation clarified that the cost estimates from 10 years ago were for the initial phase and have now been revised based on detailed design and land acquisition. Regarding concerns about a significant increase in ticket prices, NHSRCL stated that fares will be kept affordable and that misleading figures should not be relied upon. This project is not just a route, but the foundation of modern transportation for a developed India.