A significant milestone has been achieved at Mumbai’s underground BKC bullet train station with the casting of the first concrete base slab, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) announced on Wednesday (December 4).
The slab was cast 32 meters below ground level, equivalent to the height of a 10-storey building. It measures 3.5 meters in height, 30 meters in length, and 20 meters in thickness.
This marks the first of 69 slabs to be cast for the upcoming Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) station, the only underground station on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, according to the project implementing agency.
BKC underground station to have 3 floors, 6 platforms
The underground station will feature three floors: a train platform, a concourse, and a service floor. The platform will be situated 24 meters below ground level, though excavation is being carried out to a depth of 32 meters.
The station will have six platforms, each 415 meters long, capable of accommodating a 16-coach bullet train. Additionally, two entry/exit points will connect to the nearby metro line 2B station and the MTNL building.
52% of excavation completed for bullet train project
For the construction of other stations along the corridor, approximately 18.7 lakh cubic meters of earth will need to be excavated, with 52% of the excavation already completed, the NHSRCL stated.
“Sophisticated instrumentation is being used to ensure safety at the site. Completing the first base slab is a major milestone,” said Vivek Kumar Gupta, managing director of NHSRCL.
The total cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project is estimated at Rs 1.08 lakh crore, with the Government of India contributing Rs 10,000 crore, and Gujarat and Maharashtra each contributing Rs 5,000 crore. The remaining balance will be provided by Japan through a loan at an interest rate of just 0.1%.