The land acquisition for the bullet train connecting Mumbai to Ahmedabad under National High Speed Rail Corridor has been completed.
Physical construction activity has begun in elevated part of the bullet train corridor in Maharashtra. This section comprises a total 135 km from Shilphata near Mumbai till Zaroli village on Maharashtra-Gujarat boundary, a spokesperson from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited said.
This section is among the most complicated elevated part of the project comprising of six mountain tunnels, 36 crossings including 11 steel bridges and river bridges on Ulhas, Vaitarna and Jagani rivers. The steel bridges are special crossings on roads, railway and Dedicated Freight Corridor.
“Longest river bridge of 2.32 km of the bullet train project is in this section on Vaitarna river,” the spokesperson added.
This section also includes three bullet train stations in Thane, Virar and Boisar. “All three stations come under Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) and are considered suburbs of Mumbai. Thousands of people commute daily between these stations through various modes of transport like local trains, cars and city buses,” the spokesperson said.
Currently cleaning and grubbing works are in progress for 78 kms and geotechnical investigation is under progress at the site which is 50% completed.
“Open foundation constructed at 19 locations and is in progress at 42 locations,” the spokesperson further said.
The bullet train is expected to cut by half the time taken to travel the distance of 508 km between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Currently, it takes nearly six hours to travel the distance and it will be cut to three hours.
The project was expected to begin by April 2020 and was completed by December 2023. Due to delays in acquiring land in Maharashtra, there is uncertainty on completion date for whole corridor. The 352 km section through Gujarat will fully open in 2027. A section of 50 kms from Surat to Bilimora is expected to open in August 2026, according to estimates by Ministry of Railways.
