Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train news: Work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is moving fast, with foundation work done on 406 km of the 508 km stretch, informed Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Parliament on Wednesday. Track laying has also started on 127 km of viaduct, the first bullet train project.
Major Civil Works Progressing in Gujarat and Maharashtra
According to the minister, piers have been completed across 395 km, while girder casting and launching have been achieved over more than 300 km. Overhead equipment masts for supplying electricity to locomotives are also being installed.
Of the 12 stations, 8 have been completed. Direct address to the reader. Here are some stations where foundation work is done in Gujarat — Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Anand, Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. In Maharashtra, foundation work is in progress at Thane, Virar and Boisar, while excavation at Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) station is almost done and base slab is being cast.
Bridges, Depots and Tunnels Nearing Milestones
So far, 16 river bridges have been completed, while work is at an advanced stage at five major bridges including Narmada, Vishwamitri, Mahi, Tapti and Sabarmati. In Maharashtra, four more river bridges are under construction. Depots at Thane, Surat and Sabarmati are also advancing steadily.
On tunnels, Vaishnaw informed the House that the only tunnel in Gujarat is complete, the Ghansoli–Shilphata tunnel in Maharashtra (4 km) has also been finished, and work has begun on the 21 km undersea tunnel between Mumbai and Thane.
₹78,839 Crore Spent So Far, Land Acquisition Completed
The minister said the project has so far incurred an expenditure of ₹78,839 crore up to June 30, 2025. He added that the venture has created direct and indirect employment through construction activities, supply of goods, equipment, and services.
While stressing that the bullet train project is complex and technology-intensive, Vaishnaw said:“The exact timelines and cost for the completion of the project can be reasonably ascertained only after the completion of all associated works of civil structures, track, electrical, signalling & telecommunication and supply of trainsets.”
He confirmed that all 1,389.5 hectares of land required for the project have been acquired, with statutory clearances — including for wildlife, CRZ, and forests — secured. Of the 28 tender packages, 24 have been awarded, and 1,651 utilities have been shifted. Noise barriers are also being installed along the route.
Vande Bharat Not a Replacement for Bullet Train
Clarifying the distinction between high-speed projects, Vaishnaw noted that Vande Bharat trains are semi-high-speed trainsets designed for the existing broad-gauge electrified network, and not for the MAHSR. The bullet train project, he said, is specifically designed for Japanese Shinkansen trains.
Currently, 150 Vande Bharat services with chair cars are operational across India. The Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, has indigenously designed and manufactured these trainsets. Under the Make in India initiative, production of 200 sleeper Vande Bharat rakes is also underway to expand services on longer routes.