
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI -- India is tapping Japanese bullet train technology to build a 500km high-speed rail line linking a western manufacturing hub to Mumbai, an endeavor Prime Minister Narendra Modi hopes will spur similar upgrades across the country.
The roughly 2 trillion yen ($17.5 billion) project will connect Ahmedabad, the largest city in Modi's home state of Gujarat, with India's largest city and financial center. The railway, to be served by 12 stations, will shorten the trip dramatically, from seven hours now to just two.