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Work on the underground tunnel of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has reached an advanced stage, with key construction activities now underway
inside the tunnel, officials said. According to the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), around 5 km of the planned 21-km tunnel has already been excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM).
Tunnel Work Moves to Next Phase
With excavation completed in a key section, the project has now moved towards installing essential systems inside the tunnel.
"The 21-km tunnel between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai and Shilphata includes a 5-km NATM section between Ghansoli and Shilphata, where excavation has been completed, paving the way for subsequent construction activities," the NHSRCL said.
Engineers are currently working on building a drainage system to manage seepage water. Waterproofing layers are also being installed to prevent water from entering the tunnel. At the same time, reinforcement structures are being put in place to strengthen the tunnel, followed by concrete lining work. Dedicated equipment rooms are also being constructed inside the tunnel to support future operations and maintenance.
Overall Project Sees Steady Progress
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, which spans 508 km, has seen significant progress across multiple sections.
Officials said that as of March 29:
- About 343 km of viaduct work has been completed
- Around 434 km of pier work is finished
In terms of infrastructure:
- 17 river bridges, five pre-stressed concrete bridges, and 13 steel bridges have been completed
- Over 5.6 lakh noise barriers have been installed along a 280-km stretch
Track-related work is also progressing:
- Around 360 track km of reinforced concrete track bed has been constructed
- More than 6,900 overhead equipment masts have been installed across nearly 159 km of the mainline
Work Across Maharashtra and Gujarat
In Maharashtra’s Palghar district, construction has achieved breakthroughs in two of the seven planned mountain tunnels.
In Gujarat, work is ongoing on rolling stock depots in Surat and Ahmedabad. Station construction is also moving forward, with superstructure work at all stations in the state at an advanced stage. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, construction has started on all three planned elevated stations. At the Mumbai underground station, slab casting work is currently in progress. The bullet train project, India’s first high-speed rail corridor, continues to move forward with multiple construction activities taking place simultaneously across states.
