MUMBAI AHMEDABAD HIGH SPEED RAIL
- On September 20, 2025, a major breakthrough was achieved in the excavation of a 4.8 km undersea tunnel beneath the Mumbai-Thane Creek.
- This is a significant milestone in the construction of India’s first bullet train corridor under the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project.
- Project Executing Agency: National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL)
- Tunnel Location: Undersea section between Ghansoli and Shilphata on Mumbai-Thane Creek
- Total Length of Planned Undersea Tunnel: 21 km
KEY FEATURES OF THE TUNNEL
- India’s first undersea rail tunnel
- Constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM)
- Includes safety systems:
- Ground settlement markers
- Piezometers
- Inclinometers
- Strain gauges
- Built as a single tunnel to accommodate two bullet trains simultaneously
PROJECT STATUS
- Total Project Cost: ₹1.08 lakh crore
- Viaduct Constructed: 320 km completed
- First Operational Section:
- Surat to Bilimora by 2027
- Extended to Thane by 2028
- Reaches Bandra Kurla Complex (Mumbai) by 2029
- Current Travel Time (Mumbai-Ahmedabad): ~9 hours
- Planned Bullet Train Time: 2 hours 7 minutes
- Average Speed: 320 kmph
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
- Project is backed by Japan, under a high-level partnership
- E10 Shinkansen – Japan’s next-gen bullet train – to be introduced in India
- Training for Indian Loco Pilots and Maintenance Staff ongoing in Japan using simulators
Operational Plans
- Initial Frequency: Every 30 minutes during peak hour
- Future Frequency: Reduced to 20 minutes, eventually to 10 minutes
- Fare: Will be “reasonable” and affordable to middle class (exact structure not yet declared)
CHALLENGES
- Delays:
- ~5 years delay due to lack of permissions under previous Maharashtra government
- Cost escalation under discussion with Japanese authorities
- Cracks in Houses:
- 78 houses along the corridor developed cracks
- IIT Bombay survey underway
- Precaution guidelines being prepared and will be released post-state government approvals
STRATEGIC & ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
- Will connect major commercial centres:
- Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Surat, Anand, Vadodara, Ahmedabad
- Expected to:
- Integrate regional economies
- Create a multiplier effect, similar to Japan’s Tokyo–Osaka corridor
- Promote high-speed rail manufacturing, urban development, and employment
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