Will the first phase of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train be operational by December 2027?

Mumbai, Sep 20 (NationPress) Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a major milestone in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project today.

A tunnel is being built beneath the creek between Mumbai and Thane, submerged underwater.

He reviewed the successful breakthrough of the tunnel between Ghansoli and Shilphata (4.881 km) in Maharashtra, calling it a remarkable achievement for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor.

The Union Minister activated a controlled dynamite blast to complete the final layer, achieving a total of five kilometers of excavation.

Labeling it a “landmark achievement,” Minister Vaishnaw stated that the initial phase of the high-speed corridor on the Surat-Bilimora section is expected to commence in December 2027, with operations extending to Thane in 2028 and the Bandra-Kurla Complex by 2029.

In Ghansoli, he informed reporters that the bullet train will serve as the “transport for the middle class,” emphasizing that ticket prices will be “affordable.”

“Currently, approximately 320 km of the viaduct, which is the bridge segment, has been finalized within the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project. Excellent progress can be observed at all stations, and the bridges over rivers are also nearing completion,”

he added.

According to the Union Minister, passengers will be able to travel from Mumbai to Ahmedabad in just two hours and seven minutes, a significant reduction from the nine hours indicated by Google Maps.

Train services are designed to operate every half hour during peak morning and evening hours.

Once the network is fully operational, there will be a train every 10 minutes during peak times, he mentioned.

Minister Vaishnaw confirmed that ticket reservations will not be necessary for travel between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, allowing passengers to arrive at the station and board the bullet train directly.

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) announced that the tunnel, excavated using the New Austrian Tunnel Method (NATM), is part of a 21 km underground stretch connecting the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Shilphata, including a 7-km segment beneath Thane Creek.

This breakthrough connects the Savali shaft to the tunnel portal at Shilphata, integrating it with the viaduct section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, according to NHSRCL.

The NHSRCL noted that excavation began in May 2024 in three phases, with the first breakthrough of a 2.7-km continuous section achieved on July 9.

An intermediate tunnel was constructed to facilitate simultaneous excavation from both Ghansoli and Shilphata.

The NATM tunnel boasts an internal width of 12.6 meters and was constructed employing drilling, blasting, survey activities, and support systems amidst challenging geological conditions.

As per NHSRCL, the next stages will encompass waterproofing, lining, finishing, and equipment installation, while the remaining 16 km of tunneling will utilize tunnel boring machines.

The completed tunnel will feature a single-tube structure with a diameter of 13.1 meters, accommodating twin tracks for both directions.

The 508 km Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor represents India's inaugural bullet train project.

NHSRCL reported that work has been finalized on 321 km of viaduct, 398 km of pier construction, along with 17 river bridges, 9 steel bridges, and the installation of over 400,000 noise barriers along 206 km.

Track bed construction has been completed on 206 km, and more than 2,000 overhead equipment masts have been erected across 48 km of the mainline viaduct.