Sena Again Questions Feasibility Of Bullet Train Project, Cites Spate Of Train Derailments

BJP ally Shiv Sena has yet again questioned the feasibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bullet train project citing a spate of train derailments over the past few weeks that has raised concerns over the safety of trains.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe yesterday launched India's first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The train is expected to cover the distance of over 500 km in less than three hours.

"Nowadays, hardly any day passes without a train getting derailed. It seems as if there is a competition among trains to get derailed," the Sena quipped in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

Japan is running bullet trains since 1964 and what has to be seen is that there has never been any accident of the trains running at high speeds, it said.

"Why can we not learn from Japan the art of ensuring 100 per cent safety in rail travel?...The nation would have been happier if India would have learnt from Japan the technique of safe rail travel," the Sena said.

The Sena had yesterday slammed the bullet train project, saying it was not a dream of the common man but that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also sought to know if the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed train project really fits into the needs of the country.