Published Date: 06-05-2019

NHSRCL Employees Receive Certification in Japanese Language and Culture Training

Thirty-three (33) employees of National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), from project offices in Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Surat, and the corporate office in Delhi, received certificates from the Japan Foundation for successfully completing the Japanese Language and Culture learning training programme. Last year, thirty-five (35) NHSRCL employees had received certification for a similar programme.

The High-Speed Rail technology being adopted is based on the Japanese Shinkansen system. Therefore, inter-country exchanges between officials of India and Japan are essential, which can be facilitated through proficiency in the Japanese language and an empathetic understanding of Japanese culture. Similar training programmes will continue to be organized for NHSRCL employees.

NHSRCL will also give preference to job applicants with Japanese language proficiency. The proficiency will be evaluated based on qualifications acquired through the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) from N-1 to N-5 levels. Initially, candidates with at least N-3 level proficiency will be required, and recruitment is planned over the next 1–2 years.

More than eighty-seven (87) employees have already received training in Japan in various areas such as station area development, customer-centric approach, Shinkansen technology, and operations & maintenance. These training programmes are aimed at providing the right exposure for skill development and instilling a culture of safety and punctuality across the organization.

Two additional batches comprising sixty (60) employees are scheduled to undergo similar training this year. The High-Speed Railway Training Institute at Vadodara has also commenced operations.

Manpower Requirement and Project Scope:

As per estimates by Japanese experts, the project will require around 4,000 personnel across categories such as locomotive drivers, guards, station staff, operation control centre staff, maintenance personnel, signal maintainers, and electrical staff.

There will be a major depot at Sabarmati for periodic overhaul of trains, while a smaller depot at Thane will handle weekly and monthly maintenance activities. Additionally, approximately 20,000–25,000 personnel will be required during the construction phase of the project.