Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train: 349 km viaduct complete

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train work is still in construction. It is India’s first bullet train project. The 508-km project was flagged off in 2017. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe flagged it off. Several parts have reached construction milestones. The first passenger service is still awaited.

As reported by The Times of India, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has shared a new progress update. It covers the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor. According to the minister, 349 km of viaduct work is complete. The image shared recently is only a representative visual. It does not show the final train design.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail corridor, also known as MAHSR, is being developed with Japanese technical and financial support. The project earlier faced major delays, especially in Maharashtra. Land acquisition was a key issue there. Also, the corridor includes India’s first undersea rail tunnel beneath Thane Creek. The tunnel covers around 7 km. Officials say construction has gained pace across several sections of the corridor.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train construction progress

Also, a large part of the preparatory work is now complete. The full land requirement for the project covers 1,389.5 hectares. It has been acquired. All statutory clearances have been received. All 1,651 utilities have been shifted.

On the 508-km corridor, around 349 km of viaduct structure has been completed. Nearly 90% of the route is planned to run on elevated tracks. In addition, 443 km of piers has been constructed. More than 7,700 overhead equipment masts have been installed across 179 km. Track bed construction has progressed over 374 track-km.

In Gujarat, foundation and pier work has reached 352 km each. Girder casting has been completed over 342 km. Girder launching has reached 331 km. Track bed construction stands at 152 km. Overhead mast erection has covered 121 km.

Meanwhile, foundation work in Maharashtra has reached 74 km. Pier construction covers 65 km. Girder casting has been completed over 9 km. Girder launching has reached 3 km.

Across the 12 planned stations, foundation work has been completed at eight. They are Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Anand, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati. Seventeen river bridges have also been completed.

Station, bridge and depot works

Work is continuing at Thane, Virar, and Boisar stations in Maharashtra. At Mumbai’s underground Bandra-Kurla Complex station, excavation is close to completion. The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited recently lowered a tunnel boring machine cutter head. It was placed into a launch shaft at Vikhroli in Mumbai. The cutter head is for India’s largest tunnel boring machine. It weighs around 350 tonnes and has a diameter of 13.6 metres.

At the same time, four major river bridges in Gujarat are at an advanced stage. They cross the Narmada, Mahi, Tapti, and Sabarmati rivers. Four river bridges are also under construction in Maharashtra. In addition, depot work is progressing at Thane, Surat, and Sabarmati.

Domestic high-speed train manufacturing

The project is also moving toward domestic train manufacturing. In late 2024, the Integral Coach Factory awarded an Rs 867-crore contract to Bengaluru-based BEML. The contract covers design and manufacture of India’s first domestically built high-speed trains for the corridor. These trains are expected to operate at around 250 kmph. Their design speed is 280 kmph. The corridor infrastructure is being built for speeds of up to 320 kmph.

Separately, two service patterns are planned for the route. For example, a faster service will stop only at Surat and Vadodara. It is expected to take a little over two hours. An all-stop service is planned to complete the journey in under three hours.

These planned timings compare with current rail services on the same route. Regular trains between Mumbai and Ahmedabad take nearly seven hours. Meanwhile, the Vande Bharat Express covers it in around five-and-a-half hours. Proposed bullet train fares are expected to stay competitive with existing rail and air options.

Completion timeline still depends on remaining systems

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is being developed with Japanese support. It focuses on the highest safety standards. It is also being adapted to Indian requirements and weather conditions. Still, a clear completion timeline will be determined after several works are completed. Those works include civil structures, tracks, electrical systems, signalling, telecommunications, and trainset supply.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: