Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train enters key phase
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, India’s first bullet train project, is progressing steadily. Spanning approximately 508 km, the corridor will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad with trains operating at speeds of up to 320 km/h, reducing travel time to under three hours.
The project has entered a crucial phase with the commencement of track laying using Japan’s Shinkansen-based J-slab ballastless track system. Under this system, tracks are being installed on viaducts using reinforced concrete (RC) track beds, cement asphalt mortar, precast track slabs, and fastening systems for rails.
Manufacturing of track slabs has started at dedicated facilities in Kim (Surat) and Anand. These precast slabs are transported via trailers to construction bases for installation. Currently, 10 track construction bases are operational-four in the Surat, Bilimora, and Vapi region, and six in Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad.
So far, around 185 km of RC track bed has been completed, and approximately 188 km worth of track slabs have been produced. Track slab launching and related injection work have been completed across nearly 70 km.
In terms of overall infrastructure, about 347 km of viaduct and 439 km of piers have been constructed. Additionally, 17 river bridges and 13 steel bridges have been completed. Noise barriers exceeding 5.7 lakh units have been installed over a 289 km stretch. As of 2026, more than half of the total project work has been completed, with significant progress observed in Gujarat.
