The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has reached a major milestone with the opening of the first section of a 21-km undersea tunnel, located between Ghansoli and Shilphata in Maharashtra, an official statement said on Monday.
It said that this tunnel is part of the much-anticipated high-speed rail line connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The project has already completed 310 km of viaducts, while work continues quickly on building bridges, stations, and laying tracks. Overhead electric wires are also being installed. Progress in Maharashtra has picked up significantly in recent months.
“Track laying, construction of overhead electrical wires, stations, and bridges is going on at a rapid pace. The construction work in Maharashtra has also picked up pace. In parallel, the progress on procurement of systems for operations and control is also going on well,” the statement said.
The bullet train will run on E10 Shinkansen trains, Japan’s next-generation high-speed trains. These will be introduced for the first time in both India and Japan at the same time. The trains will be faster, safer, and more reliable, showcasing the strong partnership between the two countries, it said.
At present, E5 Shinkansen trains operate in Japan. The introduction of E10 represents a major upgrade and will help deliver world-class speed and comfort for Indian passengers.
The entire 508-km corridor is being developed using Japanese Shinkansen technology, known for its high standards in speed, safety, and reliability. This project highlights the growing strategic and technological cooperation between India and Japan, the statement further said.
Civil works are progressing at a rapid pace across the alignment. 310 km viaduct is constructed. 15 river bridges are completed and 4 are in the advanced stages of construction. Out of 12 stations, 5 are completed and 3 more are now reaching completion stage. The station at BKC is an engineering marvel. The station will be located 32.5 m below ground and the foundation is designed to support the construction of a 95 m high building above ground, it said.
Fast progress on infra-
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) is the first bullet train project in India. Its success is expected to pave the way for more high-speed rail corridors in the future, which are already being considered by the government.
