Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project: Vaishnaw inspects undersea tunnel work

Mumbai/Thane, Jan 18 (PTI) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday inspected the work of the undersea tunnel of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor, popularly called the bullet train project, and expressed satisfaction at the “good progress” on the mega multi-billion dollar project.

The 21-kilometre tunnel, which includes a 7 kilometre stretch beneath the Thane Creek, will connect the Bandra Kurla Complex station to Shilphata. The undersea tunnel is the first of its kind in the country.

The undersea tunnel has been designed and is being constructed with great care, Vaishnaw told reporters at the site in Ghansoli in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

“The technology being employed and the design of the tunnel makes it possible for two trains to pass through at speeds of 250 kilometres per hour. Environment protection has been taken care of along with ventilation and lighting. The construction on 340 kilometres of the project has made good progress,” the Union minister said.

Trains can pass at much higher speeds in the undersea tunnel than Kolkata Metro’s under-river tunnel, he told reporters.

‘The project is seeing significant advancements in bridge construction over rivers and station infrastructure. The station at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) is an engineering marvel, with a unique design featuring 10 underground floors and seven above-ground levels. The high-speed rail project is on schedule, with Japanese experts inspecting and approving the ongoing work,” he said.

The dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide an affordable, efficient transportation mode for the middle class is steadily becoming a reality, the Union minister remarked.

The completion of the High Speed Rail route, the first in the country, will integrate the economies of the cities enroute, including Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and will greatly boosted urban development, Vaishnaw said.

“The stations along the corridor will spur urban development and enhance daily commuters’ productivity by significantly reducing travel time. Don’t see the high-speed train as a transportation project, but as integration of the economy. It will elevate India’s infrastructure and economic growth,” Vaishnaw said.

He lauded the efforts of Indian engineers, whose expertise has played a pivotal role in the project’s success, adding it was a matter of pride for the entire country.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train route is 508 kilometres long with 12 stations in Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar (in Maharashtra), Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati (in Gujarat).

The highlight of the project, coming up at an estimated cost of Rs 1.08 lakh crore, is a 21 kilometre undersea tunnel.

Officials said it will be a single tube tunnel to accommodate twin tracks, with 39 equipment rooms being built at 37 locations adjoining the tunnel.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR project has been designed with the support of Japanese Railway.