Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train Project Gains Pace, First Surat-Vapi Section Targeted for 2027
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India’s first high-speed rail project is progressing rapidly, with commercial services between Surat and Vapi targeted for 2027, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said during a review of the project.
Surat-Bilimora Section Nears Civil Completion
Civil construction on the first Surat-Bilimora section is expected to be completed by December this year. Before passenger services begin, high-speed trains will undergo extensive, phased trials and testing on the section.
Key train components, including the car body, bogies, propulsion system, wheels and pantographs, are being manufactured to prescribed standards. The train body is also undergoing a specialised ‘squeeze test’ to assess its strength and ensure passenger safety.
India’s First Undersea Rail Tunnel
Work has also accelerated on the 21-km undersea tunnel between Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Thane. The designated shafts have been completed, while tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have been installed to advance excavation.
Construction of viaducts, major river bridges and stations is also nearing completion across Gujarat and Maharashtra.
508-Km Corridor Across Three Regions
The Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail corridor will span 508 km, covering 348 km in Gujarat, 156 km in Maharashtra and 4 km in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
The project will have 12 stations: Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.
The trains are designed for an operational speed of up to 320 kmph. With limited stops, the journey between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is expected to take around 2 to 2.15 hours.
The corridor is being developed with Japan’s Shinkansen E5 series technology, with the project aimed at providing high-speed passenger connectivity between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
