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India's first bullet train project has reached a major milestone with the completion of the 4.88 km Shilphata-Ghansoli tunnel, part of a 21 km underground section on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the train's affordability and speed, cutting travel time from nine hours to just over two. The first phase on the Surat-Bilimora section is set for December 2027, with extensions to Thane and BKC by 2029. The tunnel connects to the viaduct portion, and the NHSRCL continues work on remaining sections with strict safety measures.
India's Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has reached an important milestone with the completion of a 4.88 km tunnel between Shilphata and Ghansoli in Maharashtra. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw marked the breakthrough by initiating a controlled dynamite blast that cleared the final layer of rock, completing the tunnel excavation. This tunnel is part of a 21 km underground stretch between the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Shilphata, including a 7 km segment beneath Thane Creek, constructed using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). Advertisement
Vaishnaw highlighted that the bullet train is aimed at being an affordable transport option for the middle class. He mentioned that while the journey between Mumbai and Ahmedabad currently takes about nine hours, the bullet train will reduce travel time to just over two hours. The first phase on the Surat-Bilimora section is expected to start in December 2027, followed by extensions to Thane in 2028 and the BKC in 2029. Services are planned with trains departing every half hour during peak hours, increasing to every 10 minutes as the network stabilizes. Passengers will not need reservations for travel between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) stated that the breakthrough connects the Savali shaft to the tunnel portal at Shilphata, linking it to the viaduct portion of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. Tunnel excavation began in May 2024 in three phases, with the first breakthrough of a 2.7 km section achieved in July 2024. An additional intermediate tunnel allows simultaneous excavation from both Ghansoli and Shilphata ends. The completed tunnel will have a single tube, 13.1-metre diameter structure accommodating twin tracks.
The next phase will involve waterproofing, lining, finishing, and installation of equipment, while the remaining 16 km of tunnelling will be completed using tunnel boring machines (TBMs). NHSRCL has also implemented comprehensive safety measures including settlement markers, piezometers, inclinometers, strain gauges, controlled site access, and fresh air supply for workers.
So far, work has been completed on 321 km of viaducts, 398 km of piers, 17 river bridges, nine steel bridges, and over four lakh noise barriers across 206 km. Track bed construction has been finished on 206 km, and over 2,000 overhead equipment masts have been installed along 48 km of the mainline viaduct. The 508 km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor is India's first bullet train project.
Source PTI
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