Bullet train India first reveal: Is the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route ready for takeoff?

New Delhi: Indian Railways has unveiled the design of India’s first bullet train, offering the public an early glimpse of the high-speed train planned for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. The image of the proposed train has been displayed at the Ministry of Railways in New Delhi.

According to the railway officials, the display has been installed near Gate Number 4 of the ministry building as part of the government’s efforts to showcase progress on the ambitious high-speed rail project.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad route cover 12 stations

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw earlier informed the Lok Sabha that the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor will pass through Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

The route will connect 12 stations, including Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati.

Construction activity has picked up across multiple sections of the corridor. Foundation work has already been completed at eight stations in Gujarat, while work continues at Thane, Virar, and Boisar in Maharashtra.

Bridges and under-sea tunnel near key milestones

Indian Railways said 17 river bridges have already been completed. Work is also progressing rapidly on major bridges over the Narmada, Mahi, Tapti, and Sabarmati rivers.

At Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex station, excavation work is nearly complete. Officials added that 4.8 km of the under-sea tunnel stretch between Ghansoli and Shilphata has already been finished.

Bullet train to support ‘Make In India’

The project is expected to strengthen India’s indigenous high-speed rail manufacturing capabilities under the Make in India initiative. Train sets are being jointly developed by Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and BEML Limited in Bengaluru, with a design speed of 280 kmph.

The government has also confirmed that the entire land required for the project has been acquired, while the system’s safety design has been adapted from Japanese high-speed rail technology to suit Indian conditions.