Amid delays in finalizing the deal for the procurement of Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains for India’s first high-speed Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, the railway ministry has now invited bids for a signalling system that will enable Vande Bharat trains, with a maximum design speed of 280 kph, to run on this route.

Initially, the ministry had stated that Shinkansen trains would make their debut on the Surat-Bilimora section by August 2026. However, it has become clear that these high-speed trains may not be a reality until after 2030. According to sources, the complete operation of Shinkansen trains along the entire corridor—whose foundation stone was laid in September 2017—will only happen by 2033.

This became apparent when the National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHRSCL) published the tender for the signalling system required for Vande Bharat trains. The tender outlines that the successful bidder will need to design, manufacture, supply, install, and maintain the signalling and train control system, which will use the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level-2. This is distinct from the Japanese DS-ATC signalling used for Shinkansen trains.

The contract period for ETCS-2 is seven years from the date of work award. Sources mention that deploying the ETCS-2 system will ensure the infrastructure is utilized efficiently. The plan is to start commercial operations of Vande Bharat trains on this track by 2027.

“There is no point in leaving this capital-intensive project unused while waiting for the Japanese trains. Once Vande Bharat trains are operational, the installation of the Japanese signalling system for Shinkansen can proceed. The timeline for introducing the E-10 series trains (an advanced version of bullet trains) in 2030 or later will be determined once trains suitable for Indian conditions are available,” a source said.

As per the plan, once the Shinkansen trains are fully operational, the advanced versions of Vande Bharat trains and the ETCS will be shifted to other projects.