Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train: Gujarat’s Kolak River Bridge Completed, 9 Of 24 Bridges Now Done

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has completed the construction of a 160-metre bridge over the Kolak River in Gujarat's Valsad district, marking a significant milestone in the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project.

With the completion of this bridge, the NHSRCL has now finished nine out of 24 planned river bridges on the high-speed rail corridor. The newly constructed bridge, situated between the Vapi and Bilimora stations, consists of four full-span girders, each measuring 40 metres.

The Kolak River, originating from the Saputara hills near Valveri and flowing into the Arabian Sea, is located seven kilometres from Vapi and 43 kilometres from Bilimora railway stations.

Out of the 24 river bridges planned for the bullet train corridor, 20 are being constructed in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra. The first river bridge, 320 metres long, was completed in January 2023 over the Par River between Vapi and Bilimora stations in Valsad district of Gujarat.

According to NHSRCL, bridges over several rivers, such as the Par and Auranga in Valsad, the Purna, Mindhola, Ambika, and Venganiya in Navsari, the Mohar in Kheda, and the Dhadhar in the Vadodara region, have all been completed. Construction is ongoing on bridges over the Narmada, Tapti, Mahi, and Sabarmati rivers.

The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor will feature 12 stations, with eight in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra. The stations in Gujarat will be located at Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, Surat, Bilimora, and Vapi. Maharashtra will host stations at Boisar, Virar, Thane, and Mumbai.

According to the NHSRCL, construction of these stations is progressing rapidly. The foundation work for all eight stations in Gujarat has been completed, and the superstructure construction is at an advanced stage.

These stations will be equipped with modern facilities and amenities, and some will be developed as transport hubs, integrating various modes of transportation such as autos, buses, and taxis for seamless connectivity.

As of 2 July, all civil contracts for the project have been awarded. The NHSRCL has completed 190 km of the viaduct and 321 km of pier work. Land acquisition for the project has been finalised in Gujarat, Dadra Nagar Haveli, and Maharashtra, as per an ANI report.

The NHSRCL also reported the completion of the first mountain tunnel, measuring 350 metres near Zaroli village in Valsad, and the commencement of work on India’s first 7 km undersea rail tunnel. This tunnel is part of a 21-km section between BKC and Shilphata in Maharashtra.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe officially launched the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project in Gujarat on 14 September 2017. The 508-km journey is expected to be completed in three to three-and-a-half hours.

The government aims to operationalise the bullet train's first phase between Surat and Bilimora in South Gujarat by 2026.

The NHSRCL aims to complete the bullet train project by 2028, with the train expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to three hours.