Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is set to launch the first tunnel boring operation for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project from Vikhroli to the Bandra Kurla Complex station on Sunday, marking a significant milestone in the construction of India’s first high-speed rail corridor. The launch signals the beginning of underground excavation using giant Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), a critical phase of the ambitious infrastructure project.
The tunnelling work will involve two massive German-engineered TBMs that will excavate a 20.37-km underground tunnel, including a 7-km undersea section beneath Thane Creek, the first undersea rail tunnel to be built in India. The operation represents one of the most complex engineering challenges undertaken in the country’s railway history.
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is being developed with Japanese Shinkansen technology and is designed to transform intercity travel by significantly reducing journey times between the two cities. Construction has gathered pace in recent months, with multiple tunnel breakthroughs and rapid progress on viaducts and stations.
The tunnel boring launch is expected to accelerate work on the Maharashtra section of the corridor, bringing India closer to operationalising its first bullet train. The project is regarded as a landmark initiative in the country’s transport infrastructure, aimed at boosting connectivity, economic growth and technological advancement.
