Bullet train to multiply India's economy, claims Vaishnaw; first phase to start in 2027

Mumbai: The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project will act as a “multiplier” for India’s economy the way it did when the high speed service was first introduced more than six decades ago in Japan, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

He was speaking to reporters after a breakthrough was achieved for a 4.88 km-long tunnel between Shilphata and Ghansoli for the project this morning.

Calling it a “landmark achievement”, Vaishnaw, who initiated the breakthrough of the tunnel, said that the first phase of the high-speed corridor on the Surat-Bilimora section will start in December 2027.

“The world’s first bullet train, connecting major centres like Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, created a multiplier effect on Japan’s entire economy. Similarly, this project will unite Anand, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Vapi, and Mumbai into a single economic corridor,” he said at the Ghansoli shaft of the tunnel.

It will create unified markets and accelerate economic growth along the entire route, while also facilitating knowledge transfer and economic integration, Vaishnaw said.

“The economic gains will far exceed the initial investment through higher productivity and business expansion,” he pointed out.

The tunnel excavation was carried out simultaneously from the Ghansoli and Shilphata sides, with teams advancing toward each other through challenging underwater terrain.

“It is a remarkable feat. The project showcases cutting-edge engineering innovations that have earned international recognition. The use of single tunnel technology to accommodate two bullet trains and deployment of 40-meter girders in viaduct construction represent significant technical achievements,” he said.

The Japanese partners in the project have praised this technological innovation for its efficiency and design excellence, he said, adding that India has gained substantial knowhow in this regard.

Vaishnaw said he met the Japanese delegation led by the Vice Minister a day before to review the project, during which both sides expressed satisfaction at the progress.

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Discussions were also held on introducing the latest E10 Shinkansen (Japan’s next-generation bullet train) in India, he said.

Japan has agreed to provide India with this advanced train system, Vaishnaw said.

The minister said the bullet train will be the “transport for the middle class”, and the fares will be “reasonable”.

He said that the Google Maps app shows the journey time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad as nine hours, but people will be able to cover the distance in two hours and seven minutes on the bullet train.

The first phase of the bullet train project will be launched on the Surat-Bilimora section in 2027, covering Thane in 2028 and the Bandra Kurla Complex in 2029, Vaishnaw said.

The Union minister said 320 kilometres of viaduct have been completed, while station construction is advancing swiftly across all sites.

River bridges are being systematically built, and the Sabarmati tunnel is nearing completion, he added.

“The services are designed such that a train will depart every half hour during the morning and evening peak hours. Once the entire network stabilises, there will be a train every 10 minutes during peak hours,” he said.

There will be no need for ticket reservations for travel between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and passengers can arrive at the station and board, the minister said.

Standing at one of the openings of the tunnel, Vaishnaw pushed the button and triggered a controlled dynamite blast to break through its final layer, completing five km of excavation.

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) said that the tunnel, excavated using the New Austrian Tunnel Method (NATM), is part of the 21 km underground stretch between the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Shilphata, including a 7-km segment beneath Thane Creek.

With the latest breakthrough, the bullet train tunnel now 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, the NHSRCL stated in a release.

The NHSRCL said the excavation of the tunnel began in May 2024 in three phases, and the first breakthrough of a 2.7 km continuous section was achieved on July 9. An additional intermediate tunnel (ADIT) was built to allow simultaneous excavation from both Ghansoli and Shilphata sides.

The NATM tunnel has an internal width of 12.6 metres and was constructed using drilling, blasting, survey works, and support systems under challenging geological conditions, it stated.

The corporation said the next phase will involve waterproofing, lining, finishing, and equipment installation, while the remaining 16 km of tunnelling will be executed using tunnel boring machines (TBMs).

The completed tunnel will be a single-tube, 13.1-metre diameter structure accommodating twin tracks for both up and down lines.

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The corporation also highlighted comprehensive safety measures, including settlement markers, piezometers, inclinometers, strain gauges and restricted site access, along with arrangements to pump fresh air for workers inside the tunnel.

The 508 km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor is India’s first bullet train project.

According to the NHSRCL, work has been completed on 321 km of viaduct, 398 km of pier, along with 17 river bridges, nine steel bridges, and the installation of over four lakh noise barriers across 206 km.

The track bed construction has been finished on 206 km, and more than 2,000 overhead equipment masts have been installed covering 48 km of the mainline viaduct, it stated.

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