Ashwini Vaishnaw & Japanese Minister Review Progress of Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project

Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, along with Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism H.E. Hiromasa Nakano, visited High-Speed Rail (HSR) construction sites in Surat and Mumbai.

At the Surat site, the Ministers witnessed the installation of the J-slab ballast-less track system on the viaduct, where track slab installation and rail laying are progressing rapidly. Shri Vaishnaw had recently observed the first track turnout installation near Surat HSR station.

The Ministers also reviewed the progress of the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) bullet train station in Mumbai after travelling by Vande Bharat Express from Surat. Minister Nakano and the Japanese delegation expressed satisfaction with the quality of the Vande Bharat train.

The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) station will be an underground facility on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor. Excavation has reached a depth of over 30 metres, equivalent to a 10-storey building, with approximately 84% of the work already completed. The station will feature three levels: platform, concourse, and service floor, and will offer both road and metro connectivity. Two entry and exit points are planned—one near the Metro station and another near the MTNL building. Designed for passenger comfort, the station will provide spacious areas and modern amenities, along with skylights to allow natural lighting.

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor is 508 km long. Of the total viaduct, 323 km has been completed, along with 399 km of pier work. Key bridge construction milestones include the completion of 17 river bridges, 5 PSC bridges, and 9 steel bridges. A total of 211 km of track bed has been laid, and over 4 lakh noise barriers have been installed along the corridor. Excavation is underway for seven mountain tunnels in Palghar, while 5 km of the 21 km NATM tunnel between BKC and Shilphata has achieved breakthrough. Rolling stock depots at Surat and Ahmedabad are under construction. Superstructure work on all Gujarat stations is at an advanced stage. Work has begun on all three elevated stations in Maharashtra.