Vaishnaw, Japanese minister review Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train as project hits key milestones
New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism Hiromasa Nakano on Friday reviewed the progress of India’s first high-speed rail corridor during their visits to construction sites of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project in Surat and Mumbai.
Nakano was accorded a traditional Garba welcome at Surat international airport, where he was received by Surat MP Mukesh Dalal, Mayor Daxesh Mavani, the Chairman of the Railway Board, and senior officials of NHSRCL and the district administration.
Track slab site at Surat
The ministers inspected the track construction base at the Surat high-speed rail site, where they observed the installation of the Japanese “J-slab” ballast-less track system on the viaduct. Permanent rail laying and track slab work are progressing at pace. Vaishnaw had recently witnessed the first track turnout installation near Surat HSR station.
BKC bullet train station in Mumbai
Travelling by Vande Bharat Express from Surat to Mumbai, the delegation reviewed the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) bullet train station. Nakano and his team also commended the quality of the Vande Bharat service.
The BKC station, being built underground, has already reached an excavation depth of more than 30 metres, equivalent to a 10-storey building, with 84% of the work completed.
The three-level station will feature platform, concourse and service floors, two entry/exit points—one near the metro station and another by the MTNL building—and spacious areas with modern passenger amenities.
Skylights are being installed to allow natural light into the underground facility.
Project milestones so far
The 508-km Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor has seen significant progress: 323 km of viaducts and 399 km of piers have been completed, along with 17 river bridges, five PSC bridges and nine steel bridges. About 211 km of track bed has been laid, while over four lakh noise barriers have been installed.
Excavation is advancing for seven mountain tunnels in Palghar, and five kilometres of the 21-km NATM tunnel between BKC and Shilphata have already achieved breakthrough.
Rolling stock depots are under construction at Surat and Ahmedabad, with Gujarat station superstructures at an advanced stage and work underway on all three elevated stations in Maharashtra.
The visit of the Japanese minister underlines the continuing collaboration between India and Japan in implementing the country’s first high-speed rail corridor.
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