Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project: Major Milestones Achieved

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has announced significant progress in the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. All civil contracts in both Gujarat and Maharashtra have been awarded, and contracts for depots and electrical works are also in place.

Construction Milestones

A total of 190 km of viaduct and 321 km of pier work have been completed. The first mountain tunnel near Zaroli Village in Valsad, Gujarat, is finished, along with three steel bridges in Surat, Anand, and Vadodara. Eight river bridges have been completed, and work on other major rivers is ongoing.

Undersea Tunnel and Stations

Work has begun on India’s first seven km undersea rail tunnel, part of a 21 km tunnel between BKC and Shilphata in Maharashtra. Excavation for the Mumbai Bullet Train station and the tunnel shaft is in progress. In Gujarat, foundation work for all eight bullet train stations is complete, and work has started on the Mumbai station in Maharashtra.

Project Timeline

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the project will be ready by 2026, with initial services between Surat and Bilimora. The project, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2017, has been progressing steadily since November 2021 despite initial land acquisition challenges.

About NHSRCL

NHSRCL was incorporated on February 12, 2016, to finance, construct, maintain, and manage the High-Speed Rail Corridor in India. It operates as a ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’ with equity participation from the Central Government and the Governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The project, estimated to cost Rs 108,000 crore, is expected to be completed in eight years.