A technical study due for completion by September 2017.

India and France have agreed on mutual collaboration and exchange of expertise in railway sectors which will benefit the stakeholders in the two countries.

A technical and execution study is expected to be completed by September this year for upgrading the speed of passengers trains on the current rail corridor between Delhi and Chandigarh (244 km) up to 200 kmph.

The semi-high speed study was decided in 2015.

This collaboration between the two countries will in particular focus on the following:
High speed and semi-high speed rail;
Modernisation of current operations and infrastructure;
Station renovation and operations;
Suburban trains;
Safety systems, operations and Security.

The relevant partners, including government entities, agencies and companies, scientific and technical research bodies and private companies, will be invited to join the cooperation, when appropriate, and under the umbrella Cooperation program of two sides, said a joint statement after officials from the two countries met on 13 April 2017.

The meeting was led by Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu and Minister of State for Transport of France, Alain Vidalies.

Ministry of Railways and the French National Railways (SNCF) have signed a memorandum of understanding for mutual cooperation in 2013.

India has over 66,600 km of railways and over 7,000 stations. It focuses is on safety speed upgradation, renovation and improvement of stations, passenger amenities, freight transport and network decongestion.

France has 30,000 km of railways, more than 2,000 km of High Speed tracks and about 3,000 stations. fii-news.com

http://www.fii-news.com/railways-signs-loi-unep/

http://www.fii-news.com/railways-mou-with-italy/

http://www.fii-news.com/railways-need-innovative-financing/

http://www.fii-news.com/rail-station-redevelopment/

http://www.fii-news.com/india-modernizes-railway-network/