Bullet Train Tunnelling Begins in Mumbai Despite Launch Postponement Due to Rains
The Railway Ministry on Saturday postponed the formal launch of tunnel-boring work for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project due to heavy rains in Mumbai. However, authorities have been directed to commence the work immediately to avoid delays.
Ministry officials cited inclement weather and warnings from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has issued 'red' and 'orange' alerts for the coming days. The formal inauguration by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was scheduled for Sunday at Vikhroli, but has been deferred.
Despite the postponement, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has been asked to start the tunnel boring machine (TBM) operations without the official ceremony. The tunnelling work, being executed by Afcons Infrastructure Limited, marks the first use of a TBM on India's first bullet train project.
Two customised German-made TBMs, imported via sea from China in March 2026, are being deployed. Each has a cutter-head diameter of 13.6 metres, among the largest in Indian railway projects. The first TBM will bore a 5.8-km stretch from Vikhroli to the Bandra Kurla Complex station. The second, currently being assembled at Sawli, will excavate a 9.7-km section including a 7-km undersea stretch.
The entire tunnel spans 20.37 km from BKC to Shilphata, with 15.4 km to be excavated by TBMs and 4.8 km already completed via drill-and-blast. The tunnel will be a single tube with twin tracks for bidirectional traffic. Construction involves shafts at Vikhroli and Sawli at depths of 56 and 39 metres respectively, along with 39 equipment rooms.
Each TBM is expected to excavate about 300 metres per month, so together they will achieve 600 metres monthly. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, spanning 508 km, aims to provide high-speed connectivity between Maharashtra and Gujarat.
