Bullet Train: Third mountain tunnel breakthrough in Palghar's Dahanu
Synopsis
India's first bullet train just cleared its third mountain tunnel in five months. With MT-07 broken through at Palghar's Dahanu, the entire Vapi-Boisar industrial-belt stretch is now excavated — a sign the project's most technically punishing section is finally moving at pace, even as the 21-km undersea segment remains the bigger test ahead.
Key Takeaways
NHSRCL achieved breakthrough of tunnel MT-07 at Ambesari village , Dahanu, on 2 June .
MT-07 is 417 metres long and 14.4 metres wide, built via controlled drilling and blasting.
Three mountain tunnels between Vapi and Boisar are now fully excavated within five months.
MT-03 has crossed 80% excavation; MT-04 is at nearly 60% .
The 508 km Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor uses Japanese Shinkansen tech with design speeds up to 320 km/h .
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project has achieved its third mountain tunnel breakthrough in Maharashtra, with the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) announcing on Tuesday, 2 June that excavation of tunnel MT-07 was completed at Ambesari village in Dahanu taluka of Palghar district. The breakthrough marks rapid progress on one of the most technically challenging stretches of India's first high-speed rail corridor.
Key engineering details
Tunnel MT-07 is 417 metres long and 14.4 metres wide, designed to accommodate both up and down tracks of the bullet train corridor. According to NHSRCL, excavation was executed using a controlled drilling and blasting method from both ends, with advanced monitoring systems deployed to ensure structural stability.
Real-time arrangements including Surface Settlement Points, 3D targets, strain gauges and seismographs were installed to continuously track vibrations, tunnel behaviour and the impact of excavation on nearby structures.
“Worker safety measures included ventilation systems, fire protection arrangements, controlled access and continuous geotechnical monitoring inside the tunnel,” NHSRCL said.
Three tunnels cleared in five months
The latest breakthrough follows two completed in the same section within the past five months. Tunnel MT-05, measuring 1.5 km, achieved breakthrough on 2 January, while MT-06, at 454 metres, was completed on 3 February. The 350-metre MT-08 had earlier broken through in October 2023.
With this, all three mountain tunnels — MT-06, MT-07 and MT-08 — between the Vapi and Boisar bullet train stations have been fully excavated. The section passes through a major industrial belt linking Boisar in Maharashtra with Vapi in Gujarat.
Status of remaining tunnels
Of the eight mountain tunnels planned for the corridor, seven are in Palghar district of Maharashtra and one in Gujarat's Valsad district. Construction of MT-04 has reached nearly 60 per cent progress, while MT-03 has crossed 80 per cent excavation. Work on MT-01 and MT-02 is continuing.
About the corridor
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor spans 508 km and will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad through 12 stations across Maharashtra, Gujarat and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. It is being built by NHSRCL using Japanese Shinkansen technology, with design speeds of up to 320 km/h.
Once operational, the service is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to a little more than two hours. Work is underway simultaneously on viaducts, river bridges, stations and the 21-km underground and undersea tunnel segment in Maharashtra.
Point of View
The cadence of three mountain tunnels in five months suggests the corridor's civil works are finally hitting industrial tempo. But mountain tunnels were never the project's hardest problem — the 21-km undersea segment between BKC and Shilphata is. The bigger question is whether the Maharashtra stretch can match Gujarat's viaduct progress, where casting is far ahead. Until the undersea tunnel and BKC station show similar momentum, the 'when does it run' question stays unanswered.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MT-07 tunnel on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor?
MT-07 is a 417-metre-long, 14.4-metre-wide mountain tunnel at Ambesari village in Dahanu taluka, Palghar district, designed to carry both up and down tracks of the bullet train. NHSRCL achieved its breakthrough on 2 June using a controlled drilling and blasting method.
How many mountain tunnels are planned on the bullet train route?
Eight mountain tunnels are planned across the corridor — seven in Maharashtra's Palghar district and one in Gujarat's Valsad district. Three (MT-06, MT-07, MT-08) between Vapi and Boisar are now fully excavated.
When will the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train be operational?
NHSRCL has not announced a confirmed launch date. Construction is progressing across viaducts, stations, mountain tunnels and the 21-km underground and undersea segment, with travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad expected to drop to a little over two hours once operational.
What technology is being used for India's first bullet train?
The 508-km corridor is being built using Japanese Shinkansen technology, with trains designed to operate at speeds of up to 320 km/h. The project connects 12 stations across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
