PM back with 'catalyst for change' image; joins Japan PM to kick-start work for Bullet Train

Ahmedabad, Sept 14: A day after playing up a few smart political moves and a bit of soft diplomacy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today focused strictly on development and his cleverly built up 'catalyst of change' image trying to address growth rate and joblessness related issues as he along with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone for the ambitious High Speed Rail project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The 17-billion dollars (estimated to be Rs 1,08,00000) high-speed railway line of 508-km to be built on Japan’s famous Shinkansen technology, is expected to be operational by 2022, India’s 75th year of Independence. The first agreement on the project was signed between India and Japan during Mr Abe’s visit to India in December 2015. The high speed railway line between the two prominent cities in Western India is expected to cover 508-km in about two hours, running at a maximum speed of 350 kmph and operating speed of 320 kmph. Estimated to cost about Rs 97,636-crore, 81 per cent of the funding for the project will come by way of a loan from Japan. Mr Modi has always tried to project the Bullet train between India's two prominent business hubs -- country's commercial capital Mumbai and traders' paradise Ahmedabad -- as a major showcase project vis-a-vis the neo-developmental model, he wanted to unleash. While most part of the 508- km corridor is proposed to be on the elevated track, about seven km stretch after Thane creek (towards Virar) near Mumbai will go under the sea. Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Modi made a strong case for "speedier development" and said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor will emerge as new economy zone. "There will be increase in trade and commerce and the country will get a new speed," he said. Sharing equal sentiment, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe even his country's developmental phase changed largely owing to the 164 revolution when the high speed train technology in the name of Shinkansen emerged. Batting for stronger India-Japan friendship, Mr Abe said if a "strong Japan is good for India, equally strong India is also good for Japan". Japanese funding agency Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) inked a tripartite consultancy pact in December 2016 with the Railway Ministry and National High Speed Rail Corporation for the project. Bringing the two commercial nucleus closer in terms of traveling at a quicker speed would also make lot of investment sense, say a number of traders in Ahmedabad - which was once 'karmabhoomi' of PM Modi during his 13-year-old stint as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Prime Minister Modi has deliberately played up development card with all sincerity as successful development model was the main plank of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Mr Modi, who did not quite have a happy go relationship with Muslims in his home state for the 2002 carnage, also tried to reach out to the battered minority community as he visited the premises - bare footed - of a historic Masjid in the town yesterday playing a guide to the visiting Japanese Prime Minister. Confronted with several challenges and high stakes battle in ensuing Assembly elections, PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah are going all out to woo voters. An overwhelming 14 per cent population -- Patidars (or Patels) -- are unhappy and have in 2015 raised banner of revolt against the saffron party. The roadshow in Ahmedabad yesterday was Modi's third in his home state since last six months as he undertook such mega roadshows earlier in two other politically sensitive nerve centres Surat and Rajkot cities. Mr Modi will be again in Gujarat -- on September 17 -- to dedicate the newly constructed gates of Narmada Dam. UNI