By India’s First Bullet Train Hits New Milestone: 332km of Viaducts Completed
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor (Mumbai–Ahmedabad HSR) is an under-construction high-speed rail line, which will connect Mumbai, Maharashtra, the financial hub of India, with Ahmedabad, the largest city in the state of Gujarat. When completed, it will be India’s first high-speed rail line, with a design speed of 350 km/h, and the project will include a 353 km-long (219 mi) viaduct, which will be the longest bridge in the world.
The line is being developed by the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Indian Railways, the Ministry of Railways, and the Government of India. The line will use Shinkansen technology from Japan, including signalling and design standards with technology transfer to support the Make in India programme.
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is over 55% complete, with the first 100-km section between Surat and Vapi expected to be operational by August 2027. Full, end-to-end operation is planned for December 2029. Major progress includes 332 km of viaducts and 17 river bridges completed, with overhead electrification (OHE) masts currently being installed.
As of January 2026, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project is making rapid progress, with 332 km of elevated tracks (viaducts) and 415 km of supporting pillars already completed. A major engineering milestone was hit just this month on January 2nd, with the successful breakthrough of the first mountain tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra. Everything is currently on track for the first high-speed stretch between Surat and Bilimora to open for passengers on August 15, 2027. This project is part of a phased rollout. While the Gujarat section will open first in 2027, the full corridor connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad is expected to be fully operational by 2029.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) celebrating a significant and a major milestone with the breakthrough of Mountain Tunnel-5, at Sapale, Palghar. This 350-meter tunnel at Sapale marks a critical engineering feat in the high-speed rail corridor, bringing India’s ambitious “bullet train” dream closer to reality through advanced construction techniques and steady progress.
https://x.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/2007003866924274096?s=20
Video References: https://youtu.be/o7sBn_S1KlM?si=2HxUdkFUw9eu-y0v
