India’s first bullet train project has reached an important stage with the successful completion of its first mountain tunnel. The tunnel breakthrough took place in Palghar district of Maharashtra and marks a major achievement for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared this update during a press conference on Friday.
The tunnel that has been completed is known as Mountain Tunnel 5. It is part of the long and complex bullet train route that passes through difficult terrain in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The minister said this milestone shows steady progress in the project and reflects the use of advanced engineering and modern construction methods.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train is India’s first high-speed rail project and is expected to transform travel between the two major cities. Once completed, the train will reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to nearly two hours, making long-distance travel faster and more comfortable.
The total length of the bullet train corridor is 508 kilometres. Out of this, around 27.4 kilometres consist of tunnels. About 21 kilometres of these tunnels are underground, while the remaining 6.4 kilometres are surface tunnels.
The project includes a total of eight mountain tunnels. Seven of these are located in Maharashtra and together measure about 6.05 kilometres. One mountain tunnel is located in Gujarat and is around 350 metres long. The recently completed Mountain Tunnel 5 in Palghar is the first and longest of the seven mountain tunnels planned in Maharashtra.
Mountain Tunnel 5 has a total length of 1.48 kilometres. If the hood and portal sections are excluded, the tunnel measures about 1.39 kilometres. Completing this tunnel is seen as a big step forward, as tunnelling through mountainous areas is one of the most challenging parts of the project.
Earlier, in September 2025, the project completed its first underground tunnel. This tunnel is around five kilometres long and runs between Thane and the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. The successful completion of these tunnels shows that the project is moving ahead steadily despite technical and logistical challenges.
The railway minister also said that the corridor will have 12 stations in total. Sabarmati in Gujarat will serve as one terminal station, while Bandra Kurla Complex will be the terminal station in Mumbai. These stations are being designed with modern facilities to handle high passenger traffic and provide a smooth travel experience.
Apart from tunnels, the bullet train project also involves the construction of large bridges and viaducts. Last month, another major milestone was achieved with the launch of a 130-metre span of a steel bridge in Gujarat’s Bharuch district. This bridge crosses National Highway 64 and the Bharuch–Dahej freight railway line near Kanthariya village.
The full length of this steel bridge is 230 metres, consisting of two spans measuring 130 metres and 100 metres. The 130-metre span was launched on December 9, 2025. It stands about 18 metres tall, is nearly 15 metres wide, and weighs around 2,780 metric tonnes.
The bridge was fabricated in Bhuj and designed to last for 100 years. It was assembled using more than 1.22 lakh high-strength bolts and coated with special protective paint to ensure durability. The bridge also uses metallic bearings to support smooth movement and stability.
The bridge launch was completed within just 12 hours. During this time, traffic on National Highway 64 was diverted, and freight train services were temporarily halted to ensure safety. Authorities said these steps helped minimise inconvenience to road users and railway operations.
The bullet train route covers about 352 kilometres in Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and around 156 kilometres in Maharashtra. The route will connect important cities such as Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Bilimora, Vapi, Boisar, Virar, Thane and Mumbai.
To reduce land acquisition and improve safety, about 85 per cent of the corridor is being built on viaducts. This means the tracks will be elevated above the ground. So far, around 326 kilometres of viaduct construction has been completed. In addition, 17 out of the 25 planned river bridges are already in place.
Three depots are also being constructed along the route. Normally, a corridor of this length would need only two depots, but an additional depot is being built due to delays in approvals during the tenure of the previous Maharashtra government.
Once the bullet train becomes operational, it is expected to bring major benefits to the regions along the route. Faster travel will help boost business, tourism, and trade. The project is also expected to create jobs and support long-term economic growth.
The successful completion of the Palghar mountain tunnel shows that India is making steady progress towards introducing high-speed rail travel. As more tunnels, bridges, and stations are completed, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project moves closer to becoming a reality.
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