Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has an ambitious plan to build India's first high-speed rail to allow the Indian people to enjoy modern transportation while also showcasing India's national strength and technology. The program was officially launched two years ago, and India** has invested huge amounts of money and manpower to work with international partners to advance the high-speed rail project.
However, when India's high-speed rail finally opened, something ironic happened. Not only did the Indian high-speed rail crash into the herds of cattle on the tracks, causing smoke in the carriages, but it was also frantically vandalized by passengers, and the stations were thrown into chaos and dirt. These events have made India's high-speed rail a laughing stock in the world, and also made the Indian people lose confidence and expectations in high-speed rail.
1. The sorrow of Indian trains.
To understand the significance of high-speed rail in India, it is necessary to understand the current situation of trains in India. India has one of the largest railway systems in the world, with more than 23 million people travelling by train every day. Trains are the main means of transportation for the people of India and an important pillar of the Indian economy. However, the safety and efficiency of Indian trains are very inefficient and various accidents and breakdowns are frequent.
The history of train accidents in India dates back to the last century, with several of the worst accidents resulting in hundreds of deaths and**. For example, in 1981, an overloaded train derailed in high winds, resulting in the deaths of at least 800 people. In 2002 and 2005, two train crashes killed 121 and 111 people, respectively.
Going into this century, there has been no reduction in train accidents in India. In 2002, a train collided with a wagon in West Bengal, killing 145 people.
In June 2022, a multi-train collision killed more than 200 people and injured more than 900, and is considered one of the worst train accidents in India this century. In addition to accidents, the operation of Indian trains is also full of "magical" scenes. Indian railway stations are often overcrowded, but instead of buying tickets, many people climb on the roof of the train or hang on the outside of the train. Indians also often hold various activities on the railway tracks, without any sense of safety.
According to reports, in the Hindu "Ten Victories Festival" in 2018, the people of Punjab reveled on the railroad tracks, but fortunately, the local ** reduced the speed of the train in time to prevent a greater disaster.
Residents of another Indian state were celebrating with fireworks on the railroad tracks when they were hit by a high-speed train, killing 61 people and seriously injuring 72.
Although India has been increasing investment and improvement in railways, the problem of Indian trains has still not been fundamentally solved. Indians are eager to have their own high-speed rail and no longer worry about the safety and comfort of the train. Thus, the project of India's high-speed rail was born in this context.
2. India's ambition for high-speed rail Two years ago, India announced plans to build its first high-speed railway, which made the whole country cheer. The Indian people are looking forward to the arrival of high-speed rail, which they see as a sign of India's entry into modernization and an opportunity for India to surpass China.
In order to realize this plan, India** has spared no expense, mobilized huge amounts of money and manpower, and worked with international partners to promote the high-speed rail project.
India** understands that to build a world-class high-speed railway, it is necessary to buy the most advanced equipment, hire the best people, and build the best tracks and stations.
To this end, India has sent a number of delegations to France, Japan and other countries to study and learn, and learned a lot of experience in high-speed rail construction.
After rigorous screening, India has recruited nearly 1,000 experts in the construction and operation of high-speed rail from all over the world, and has also recruited many engineers and technicians from prestigious universities such as the Indian Institute of Technology. At the same time, a number of large conglomerates in India have also joined the high-speed rail project, providing financial and technical support.
In order to ensure the safety and reliability of high-speed rail, India has spared no expense to import the latest signaling system equipment from France, and purchased the latest generation of high-speed trains from Japan. These equipment and technologies are the most advanced in the world.
However, when India's high-speed rail finally opened, something surprising happened. Not only did the Indian high-speed rail crash into the herds of cattle on the tracks, causing smoke in the carriages, but it was also frantically vandalized by passengers, and the stations were thrown into chaos and dirt. These events have made India's high-speed rail a laughing stock in the world, and also made the Indian people lose confidence and expectations in high-speed rail.
3. The tragedy of India's high-speed rail India's first high-speed railway, called "Vander High-speed Railway", was officially opened in June 2022, which is India's first high-speed railway, so it attracted a large number of passengers to experience it on the day of opening.
However, the various phenomena after the operation of the high-speed rail have made the Indian people disappointed with this "high-speed rail". The "Vander high-speed railway" carriage is equipped with LCD screens, wifi and high-fidelity headphones.
The station has also been modernized with ticket vending machines and large screens. This was supposed to herald the modernization of India's infrastructure, but when India's high-speed rail finally opened, something surprising happened. Not only did the Indian high-speed rail crash into the herds of cattle on the tracks, causing smoke in the carriages, but it was also frantically vandalized by passengers, and the stations were thrown into chaos and dirt. These events have made India's high-speed rail a laughing stock in the world, and also made the Indian people lose confidence and expectations in high-speed rail.
Such a tragedy is actually a microcosm of India's high-speed rail construction. Although India's high-speed rail has advanced equipment and technology, it has neglected the management and construction of civilization, resulting in serious problems in the operation and maintenance of high-speed rail.