Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Railways Minister, recently shared an awe-inspiring video on X, providing a sneak peek into the remarkable features of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor. The video showcases the advancements and engineering marvels of the project that is set to redefine the future of Indian rail travel.
Designed to reach a top speed of 320 km/h, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train is poised to reduce the travel time between the two cities to just 2 hours, covering the 508-kilometer distance. The project includes the construction of 24 river crossings and 28 steel bridges, highlighting the meticulous planning and execution involved in creating this modern transportation marvel.
Referred to as the “future of India” and celebrated as “a marvel of world-class engineering,” the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train aims to revolutionize rail travel in the country. Ashwini Vaishnaw, in his X post, expressed confidence in turning the dream into reality, stating, “We weave reality not dreams. Stay tuned for Bullet train in Modi 3.0!”
The ongoing construction, initiated in November 2021, has witnessed steady progress. The first segment of the bullet train, covering a 50-kilometer route in Gujarat from Bilimora to Surat, is expected to be operational by August 2026, as per the Railway Minister’s announcement in 2023.
In its initial phase, the Railways plans to operate 35 bullet trains, with approximately 70 trips per day. The goal is to gradually increase this number, aiming to run 105 trains by 2050. The project anticipates serving around 1.6 crore passengers annually once it commences operations on the designated route.
With an estimated project cost of INR 1.08 lakh crore, the funding structure involves contributions of 10,000 crore from the Centre and INR 5,000 crore each from Gujarat and Maharashtra. The remaining funds will be secured through a loan from Japan at a minimal interest rate of 0.1 percent.
