This refers to the report "High-speed rail essential for economic growth" (March 12). The issue is debatable. A reading of the western media reports is alluring; how a rail journey from Beijing to Guangzhou of 2,218 kilometres, which took some 20 hours, can now be done in a mere eight hours and the one from Beijing to Shanghai of 819 miles in five hours. But the fact is that these high-speed rail projects have reportedly run out of steam. Of the 23 projects, 70 per cent have been suspended and the rail minister removed. People in Laos view the Chinese rail projects in Southeast Asia as evidence of how their country - as well as others - is becoming an economic vassal of Beijing. Recently Business Standard published the views of a retired financial commissioner of the Indian Railways that "semi high-speed trains with a speed of 160-200 kms per hour are well within the railways' domain". He also, however, emphasised the need for prior public consultations.
S Subramanyan Navi Mumbai
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number
