Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project: Gujarat Section Likely To Completed By End Of 2027, Entire Route By December 2029, Says Centre

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project, stretching 508 kilometers and connecting key cities across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, is progressing steadily, despite earlier delays.

The project, backed by technical and financial support from the Government of Japan, includes 12 stations across its route, including major hubs in Mumbai, Thane, Surat, and Ahmedabad.

According to Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Gujarat section of the project, between Vapi and Sabarmati, is set to be completed by December 2027.

The entire Maharashtra to Sabarmati section is expected to be operational by December 2029.

However, Vaishnaw emphasised that the complexity and technological demands of the bullet train project make it difficult to pinpoint an exact timeline for completion, as the works related to civil structures, tracks, signaling, telecommunication, and trainset delivery are still ongoing.

"The Gujarat portion of the corridor between Vapi and Sabarmati is
planned to be completed by Dec, 2027. The entire project (Maharashtra to Sabarmati section) is expected to be completed by Dec, 2029," Vaishnaw said on Wednesday (23 July) in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

"However, Bullet train project is a very complex and technology intensive Project. Exact timelines for the completion of the project can be reasonably ascertained after the completion of all associated works of Civil Structures, Track, Electrical, Signaling & Telecommunication and supply of Trainsets," he added.

The minister said that the total estimated cost of MAHSR project is approximately Rs 1,08,000 crore, out of which Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding 81 per cent of the project cost i.e. Rs 88,000 crore.

The remaining 19 per cent cost i.e. Rs 20,000 crore will be funded
through equity contribution from Ministry of Railways (50 per cent) and
state governments of Maharashtra (25 per cent) and Gujarat (25 per cent).

The minister further informed that cumulative Financial expenditure of Rs 78,839 crore has been incurred on the project till 30 June.

Despite the financial momentum, the project faced delays due to land acquisition issues in Maharashtra up until 2021.

However, Vaishnaw confirmed that all 1389.5 hectares of land required for the project have now been acquired, with all necessary statutory clearances—related to wildlife, Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), and forest clearance—secured.

With civil contracts for the project now fully awarded, work has progressed on several fronts.

So far, 392 kilometers of pier construction have been completed, along with 329 kilometers of girder casting and 308 kilometers of girder launching.

Notably, the work on the undersea tunnel, which spans approximately 21 kilometers, has also begun.

Also Read: Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train: India, Japan Eye New Loan Framework for Next-Gen E10 Shinkansen On High-Speed Rail Corridor