Bullet train: First section of the 21-km undersea tunnel sees breakthrough
The 2.7-km tunnel section, part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, has been constructed between Ghansoli and Shilphata in Maharashtra.
Out of the total 21 km, 5 km is being constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) between Shilphata and Ghansoli, while the remaining will be built using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). The tunnel also includes a 7-km-long undersea section beneath Thane Creek, the ministry of railways said in a statement.
To expedite tunnelling in the NATM portion, an Additionally Driven Intermediate Tunnel (ADIT) was constructed, allowing simultaneous excavation towards Ghansoli and Shilphata sides, the statement added.
Comprehensive safety measures have been implemented at the site, including ground settlement markers, piezometers, inclinometers, strain gauges, and biometric access control systems to ensure safe and controlled tunnelling activities without disturbing nearby structures.
India's first high-speed train project is now moving faster. Track laying and the construction of overhead electrical wires, stations, and bridges are also going on rapidly. The construction work in Maharashtra, which was delayed earlier, has also picked up pace. In parallel, the progress on procurement of systems for operations and control is also going well, the statement said.
Indian Railways is developing the country's first 508-km bullet train project using Japanese Shinkansen technology. Accordingly, it has secured approval from Japan to use its latest generation E10 Shinkansen trains in the Indian project.
Japan is currently running E5 trains. Next generation trains are E10, which Japan will also introduce later.
In the spirit of strategic partnership between Japan and India, the Japanese government has agreed to introduce E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project. It is noteworthy that E10 will be introduced simultaneously in India and Japan, the ministry of railways said in the statement.
Shinkansen technology is expected to set new benchmarks for speed, safety, and reliability. This reflects the deep strategic and technological cooperation between India and Japan, the statement said.
The success of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project is laying the foundation for future bullet train corridors in India. Some of the corridors under consideration are Delhi-Varanasi, Delhi-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Nagpur, Mumbai-Hyderabad, and Chennai-Mysore, among others.
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