An incredible new £10.6 bn line aimed at connecting two of the world’s biggest cities is likely to be completed by the end of 2027. The Mumbai and Ahmedabad bullet train project in India is a high-speed rail initiative and is set to be one of the fastest in the world.
The bullet train will cover a distance of approximately 316 miles (508 kilometres).
It will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with 12 stations along the route, including major stops like Thane, Surat, and Vadodara.
The train will operate at a maximum speed of around 320 km/h (200 mph). The journey between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is expected to take about two to three hours, significantly reducing travel time compared to conventional rail or road travel.
The ambitious project is being developed with technical and financial assistance from Japan.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing a major portion of the funding through a soft loan, and the technology used is based on Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train system.
The project has faced delays but is being implemented in phases. Initial construction work started in 2018, with land acquisition and preparatory work being major initial steps.
The first phase of operations is likely to begin ahead of the Gujarat Assembly election, which is due in 2027 with the term of the House expiring on December 19, 2027.
“Trial runs are expected to start in 2026 between Surat and Bilimora (a 50-km stretch). Since the project is in a more advanced stage in Gujarat, it is prudent to start commercial operations here first and then expand services to Maharashtra as construction work gets completed there,” a National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) spokesperson told The Hindu
The project involves the construction of new high-speed rail tracks, tunnels, bridges, and viaducts.
A significant portion of the route will be elevated, with some sections running through tunnels, including an undersea tunnel near Mumbai.
Land acquisition has been a major challenge, causing delays in the project timeline. Negotiations with landowners and local communities are ongoing to resolve these issues.
The project has faced several delays due to bureaucratic hurdles, funding issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts are being made to expedite the construction and meet revised timelines.
17,000 people are expected to travel in the first year, with hopes that the network will be able to handle almost 93,000 by their 30th year.
24 river bridges, 28 steel bridges and seven mountain tunnels are to be erected on route. This includes the Bullet Train Narmada River Bridge, in Bharuch, Gujarat, which is currently under construction and should be completed this year.
Upon successful completion, there are plans to expand high-speed rail connectivity to other parts of India, replicating the model used for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor.
Future phases could see extensions of the high-speed network to other major cities and industrial hubs.
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