India's ambitious leap into high-speed rail connectivity is rapidly taking shape, with the nation's first bullet train project targeting a historic operational debut in 2027. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made a significant announcement, declaring that the inaugural run of this transformative service is scheduled for August 15, 2027.
Phased Commissioning and Initial Operational Stretch
Addressing the media at Rail Bhawan, Minister Vaishnaw outlined a phased plan for commissioning the corridor. The first section to see high-speed trains will be the Surat to Bilimora stretch. This will be followed by the sequential opening of the Vapi–Surat section, then the Vapi–Ahmedabad link, and subsequently the Thane–Ahmedabad segment. The final phase will see the entire 508-kilometer Mumbai–Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor become fully operational. The overarching target for completing the entire project is set for December 2029.
Once fully functional, the bullet train will dramatically slash travel time between the two major economic hubs. The journey from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, which currently takes several hours, will be reduced to a mere 2 hours and 7 minutes (127 minutes).
Project Overview, Route, and Funding
Executed by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the corridor will traverse through Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. The route will feature 12 strategically located stations: Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati.
The mammoth project carries a total estimated cost of Rs 1,08,000 crore (approximately). A major portion of this investment, 81% (Rs 88,000 crore), is being funded through a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), underscoring the strategic partnership between India and Japan in this flagship infrastructure endeavor.
Latest Construction Milestones and Progress
As of early December 2025, substantial physical progress has been achieved on the ground. Key updates from the NHSRCL include:
Viaduct and Pier Work: Out of the total 508 km, construction of 330 km of viaduct and 408 km of pier work has been completed.
Bridges: Work on 17 river bridges, 5 Pre-Stressed Concrete (PSC) bridges, and 11 steel bridges is finished. Notably, the first 130-meter span of a 230-meter-long steel bridge is also complete.
Noise Barriers and Track: More than 4.7 lakh noise barriers have been installed along a 235 km stretch. Furthermore, 260 track km (130 route km) of Reinforced Concrete (RC) track bed construction is done.
Electrification and Tunneling: Approximately 3,700 Overhead Equipment (OHE) masts have been erected, covering about 85 route km. Excavation is progressing on 7 mountain tunnels in Maharashtra's Palghar district. In the challenging tunnel section between BKC and Shilphata, 5 km out of a total 21 km has been excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM).
Stations and Depots: Superstructure work on all stations in Gujarat is at an advanced stage. In Maharashtra, work has commenced on all three elevated stations, and base slab casting is underway at the underground Mumbai station. Construction of rolling stock depots at Surat and Ahmedabad is also in progress.
This comprehensive update signals that India's dream of high-speed rail is steadily transitioning from blueprints to reality, promising to redefine inter-city travel and economic integration in the coming years.
