Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Visits Key Construction Sites of Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Bullet Train Projects

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, along with Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism Hiromasa Nakano, recently visited key construction sites of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, India’s first bullet train corridor.

Highlights from the Site Visit
- Surat & Mumbai Inspections: The ministers reviewed progress at the Surat stretch, including the installation of the advanced J-slab ballastless track system, a Japanese technology that ensures smoother and faster operations.
- BKC Station, Mumbai: They inspected the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) underground station, which is being excavated to a depth of over 30 meters—equivalent to a 10-storey building. About 84% of the excavation is already complete.
- Rolling Stock Depots: Construction is underway at Surat and Ahmedabad, with Gujarat station superstructures nearing completion.

Project Milestones
- Viaducts Completed: 323 km of viaduct and 399 km of pier work are done.
- Bridges Built: 17 river bridges, 5 PSC bridges, and 9 steel bridges are completed.
- Track Bed Ready: 211 km of track bed laid, with over 4 lakh noise barriers installed.
- Tunnel Excavation: 5 km of the 21-km NATM tunnel between BKC and Shilphata has achieved breakthrough.

Timeline & Impact
- The first bullet train is expected to run by August 2027, starting with the Surat–Bilimora stretch.
- Full corridor completion is targeted by December 2029, with intermediate service to Thane by 2028 and Mumbai by 2029.
- The project is being executed with technical and financial assistance from Japan, with JICA funding 81% of the ₹1.08 lakh crore cost.

This visit underscores the strategic partnership between India and Japan and the transformative potential of high-speed rail in reshaping India’s infrastructure and connectivity.