Published Date: 03-10-2025
Union Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, H.E. Hiromasa Nakano, visited key sites of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (Bullet Train) project in Surat and Mumbai.
H.E. Nakano was welcomed at Surat International Airport with a traditional Garba performance. Surat’s Member of Parliament Shri Mukesh Dalal, Mayor Shri Daxesh Mavani, Chairman Railway Board, and senior officials from Railways, NHSRCL, and district administration were present during the reception.
Visit to Track Slab Laying Site at Surat
The Ministers visited the track construction base at the Surat High-Speed Rail site, where they observed the installation of the J-slab ballastless track system on the viaduct.
Track slab installation and permanent rail laying activities are progressing rapidly. Recently, Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw also witnessed the first track turnout installation near the Surat HSR station.
Visit to BKC HSR Station, Mumbai
The Ministers travelled from Surat to Mumbai aboard the Vande Bharat Express. During their visit, they reviewed the progress of the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) Bullet Train station.
The Japanese delegation expressed appreciation for the quality and performance of the Vande Bharat train.
Key Features of BKC Bullet Train Station:
• Underground station on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor
• Excavation depth of over 30 meters (equivalent to a 10-storey building)
• Three levels: Platform level, Concourse level, and Service floor
• Dual entry and exit points – near Metro station and MTNL building
• Seamless connectivity with road and metro transport
• Spacious passenger areas with modern amenities
• Skylight design for natural lighting
• Approximately 84% of excavation work completed
Bullet Train Project Progress (September 2025)
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor, spanning 508 km, continues to make steady progress:
• 323 km of viaduct construction completed
• 399 km of pier work completed
• 17 river bridges, 5 PSC bridges, and 9 steel bridges completed
• 211 km of track bed construction completed
• Over 4 lakh noise barriers installed along the corridor
• Excavation of 7 mountain tunnels in Palghar underway
• 5 km breakthrough achieved in the 21 km NATM tunnel between BKC and Shilphata
• Rolling stock depots at Surat and Ahmedabad under construction
• Superstructure work of all stations in Gujarat at advanced stage
• Work initiated on all three elevated stations in Maharashtra
Related Images