The first phase of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, linking Surat to Bilimora, is set to become operational by August 2026, as declared by India’s Union Railway Minister. During a recent site inspection to assess construction advancement along the 508-kilometre corridor, the Minister highlighted the profound transformative impact anticipated from the high-speed line, positioning it as a catalyst for substantial economic expansion.
With stops at 12 stations, the train would cover 508 km
The Railways Minister highlighted the economic benefits of this high-speed line, noting that the 284 km-long corridor viaduct in Gujarat is already completed. He mentioned that the bullet train would reach speeds of up to 320 km/h.
He conducted the inaugural controlled blast at the Vikhroli site to prepare for the launch of tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will excavate a 21 km-long tunnel to accommodate two tracks for trains traveling in both directions. Utilising TBMs with a cutter head diameter of 13.1 meters, 16 km of the tunnel will be created, while the remaining 5 km will be constructed using the Austrian tunnelling method (NATM).
This tunnel will be dug at varying depths, ranging from 25 to 65 meters below ground level, with the deepest point reaching 114 meters below Parsik Hill near Shilphata. Construction of the corridor will be facilitated by three shafts located at BKC, Vikhroli, and Sawli, at depths of approximately 36, 56, and 39 meters respectively. Additionally, an inclined shaft of 42 meters at Ghansoli and a tunnel portal at Shilphata will support the construction of approximately 5 km of the tunnel using the NATM method.
Operating at a speed of 320 km/hr, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet trains will traverse a distance of 508 km with stops at 12 stations, including four in Maharashtra – BKC, Thane, Virar, and Boisar – covering a total distance of 156 km.
