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The Indian Railways Construction Co. International Ltd., on behalf of India’s Ministry of Railways, has hired Mott MacDonald to conduct pre-feasibility studies for a proposed high-speed rail service between Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna.

The Indian government’s 2020 development plan calls for building four high-speed rail projects — one in each region of the country — to address increasing demand for public transportation services. India also plans to develop another eight high-speed rail corridors to connect commercial and tourist hubs in the country.

Mott MacDonald will help identify ways the high-speed corridors could be developed through public-private partnerships. The firm plans to review all technical aspects of the route and corridor infrastructure development in relation to its alignment with existing facilities, according to a press release. Mott MacDonald also will analyze operational and business requirements, forecast preliminary ridership figures, estimate capital costs, analyze system benefits, and develop a planning and implementation schedule and organizational structure.

India’s high-speed rail program is expected to cost about $21.3 billion. Mott MacDonald plans to finish its report by year’s end.