Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train: India's Largest Tunnel Boring Machine Starts 6-km Excavation
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project reached a significant milestone on Sunday, as tunnelling work officially began with the launch of India's largest rail tunnel boring machine (TBM) from Vikhroli in Mumbai. The TBM will excavate a 6-kilometre-long single-tube tunnel designed to accommodate both the up and down tracks of the high-speed rail corridor.
The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) stated that the machine will pass beneath dense urban areas during its journey, including multi-storeyed buildings, roads, the Mithi River, and other critical infrastructure. This phase of the project is part of a 21-kilometre underground tunnel section on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.
Of the 21-km underground stretch, a 16-km segment between Sawli (Ghansoli) and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) will be excavated using tunnel boring machines, while the remaining 5-km section has already been completed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). The project is being implemented by the NHSRCL with technical and financial support from Japan.
The bullet train project, once completed, will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad in approximately two hours, significantly reducing travel time between the two major cities. The project is expected to boost economic growth and improve regional connectivity.
