Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail nears reality with 100% land acquisition
The bullet train project has acquired all required land in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, as confirmed by NHSRCL and Railways Minister.
- Republic Business
- 2 min read
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Mumbai-Ahmedabad Rail Corridor: The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) announced on January 8 that the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Rail Corridor, commonly known as the bullet train project, has achieved 100 per cent land acquisition across Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the entire 1389.49 hectares of land required for the project has been successfully acquired.
In a press release, the NHSRCL disclosed that all civil contracts for the project in Gujarat and Maharashtra have been awarded, with 120.4 km of girders launched and 271 km of pier casting completed. Notably, the laying of the first reinforced concrete (RC) track bed, using the Japanese Shinkansen-inspired J-slab ballastless track system, has commenced in Surat and Anand.
Corridor development highlights
The NHSRCL highlighted significant milestones, including the completion of the first 350-meter-long mountain tunnel near Zaroli village in Gujarat within 10 months. Additionally, the erection of the first steel bridge, spanning 70 meters and weighing 673 MT, across NH 53 in Surat has been accomplished. Six out of 24 bridges on the corridor have been constructed over rivers like Par, Purna, Mindhola, Ambika, Auranga, and Venganiya, while work on others such as Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and Sabarmati is ongoing.
The project is utilising Japan's Shinkansen technology, and noise barriers are being installed along the viaduct to mitigate operational noise. Excavation works for India's first 7 km undersea rail tunnel, part of the 21 km-long tunnel between Bandra Kurla Complex and Shilphata in Maharashtra, have begun. Construction is underway for high-speed rail stations in Gujarat's Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Anand, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati.
Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with a soft loan of Rs 88,000 crore from Japan, the Rs 1.10 lakh crore project initially faced delays in land acquisition. Despite the setbacks, the government aims to launch the first phase of the bullet train between Surat and Bilimora in south Gujarat by 2026, after the completion of hurdles in land acquisition.
(With PTI Inputs)