The bullet train finally has a logo - a cheetah, which a student from the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad designed, the Railway Ministry told The Indian Express.
A panel of three members, headed by renowned painter and architect Satish Gujral, chose the logo design though a contest.
The contest received an overwhelming response from across the country. The dates for submitting the applications were between 19 April and 18 May, and around 100 entries were received by the committee from various states.Railway Official to The Indian Express
“The cheetah represents speed, while the red and blue lines symbolise calm and reliability,” sources said.
Apart from Gujral, a Niti Ayog member and official from National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is in charge of the project were a part of the committee, the official said.
Three entries were shortlisted after the initial screening. The top entry was selected from NID, Ahmedabad, the second from the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, and the third from NID in Bengaluru,
The government is keen on launching the project on 15 August 2022, the year of India’s 75th independence anniversary. The train will cover the 500km distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in less than three hours with a ticket cost of 1.2 percent more than the basic AC first class ticket.
The project was flagged off last month by Prime Minister Modi during Japanese President Shinzo Abe’s visit. Japan is financing 81 percent of the Rs 1.08 lakh crore project through the Japan International Cooperation Agency at 0.1 percent interest to be repaid over 50 years.
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