India News : India’s first high-speed bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad has reached a major milestone, with nearly ₹80,000 crore already spent and about 80% of the work completed. While most of the land acquisition and track laying is finished, the biggest challenge now lies beneath the sea—a massive 21-km undersea tunnel.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a statement to Parliament, revealed that the project has acquired 1,389.5 hectares of land and secured all required approvals from the wildlife, forest, and coastal regulation authorities. The project has been divided into 28 packages, with tenders awarded for 24 so far.
Progress so far:
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Track Work: Out of the total 508 km, about 406 km of track has been laid (350 km in Gujarat and 56 km in Maharashtra).
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Piers & Girders: 395 km of piers and 333 km of girders have been completed.
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Viaducts: Work has begun on the 127 km long viaducts.
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Stations: Foundation work is complete at 8 of the 12 planned stations, including Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati in Gujarat, and Thane, Virar, Boisar in Maharashtra. Mumbai’s BKC terminal is nearly finished.
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Bridges & Depots: 17 river bridges are complete, with more under construction. Depots are being built at Thane, Surat, and Sabarmati.
The most complex part is the 21 km tunnel between Thane and Virar, of which 4 km has already been completed. A section of the tunnel will pass directly under the sea, making it the most technically demanding portion of the project.
The total cost of the project is pegged at ₹1.08 lakh crore, and with work progressing on schedule, the government aims to finish within the timeline. The project has also created thousands of direct and indirect jobs, boosting local economies.
Once completed, the bullet train will drastically cut travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, setting a new benchmark for India’s rail infrastructure.
