By Devanshe Pandey,News18
Copyright news18
A major breakthrough has been achieved in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project with the completion of around 5 km ( 4.88 km) tunnel between Ghansoli and Shilphata. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was also present on the site on Saturday morning, called it a “landmark achievement”.
He also said that the first section of the high-speed corridor on the Surat-Bilimora section will start in December 2027.
Vaishnaw hailed the project while speaking to the reporters and said that the bullet train will be the “transport for the middle class”, and the fares will be “reasonable”.
“Today, an important milestone has been achieved in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. An undersea tunnel is being constructed beneath the creek between Mumbai and Thane… A crucial 4.8-kilometre section has achieved a breakthrough today… This is a very important milestone for the entire project,” Railway minister told reporters.
#WATCH | Mumbai | Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, “Today, an important milestone has been achieved in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. An undersea tunnel is being constructed beneath the creek between Mumbai and Thane… A crucial 4.8-kilometre section has… pic.twitter.com/Ya4BM5HLbU
— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2025
Mumbai to Ahmedabad In Just 2 Hours!
Railway minister cited Google maps and shared that the distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad usually takes nine hours, but on the bullet train, people will be able to cover the distance in just two hours and seven minutes.
The first phase of the bullet train project will be first launched on the Surat-Bilimora section in 2027, covering Thane in 2028 and the Bandra Kurla Complex in 2029, Vaishnaw said.
“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.
No Need For Ticket Reservation
Vaishnaw further shared details of the bullet train and said passengers would not require a reservation to travel between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. They can just arrive at the station and board the train.
He further shared details of the frequency of bullet train and said, “During peak hours, morning and evening, trains will run every half hour. Initially, trains will run every half hour during peak hours. Later, when the entire network stabilizes, service will be available every ten minutes during peak hours.”
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.
