NHSRCL Preparing DPRs To Expand India's High-Speed Rail Network Beyond Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Corridor

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) started the groundwork for extending India’s bullet train network further into the existing Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, Indian Express reported.

The agency is now preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for several new high-speed rail corridors.

In a written response to the Lok Sabha on 23 July, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw assured that the Ministry of Railways is actively working on plans to take high-speed rail to more corners of the country.

“To meet the growing passenger demand between major cities of commercial/economic and tourist importance, Detailed Project Reports are being prepared by NHSRCL,” Vaishnaw said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

NHSRCL, a joint venture between the central government and participating states, is spearheading India’s bullet train projects.

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

The ongoing Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project is being developed with technical collaboration and financial support from Japan.

The Minister clarified that any new HSR project will depend on various parameters, including technical feasibility, financial and economic viability, projected traffic demand, and availability of funding mechanisms.

Proposed HSR Corridors Under Consideration

As outlined in the National Rail Plan, the following high-speed rail routes are under evaluation:

Delhi – Varanasi

Delhi – Ahmedabad

Mumbai – Nagpur

Mumbai – Hyderabad

Chennai – Mysore

Delhi – Amritsar

Varanasi – Howrah

MAHSR Completion Timeline

The Ministry of Railways is targeting December 2029 for the full completion of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor.

As part of a phased rollout, the Gujarat stretch, from Vapi to Sabarmati, is expected to be up and running two years earlier, by December 2027.

India and Japan are reportedly working on a new loan framework to support the inclusion of East Japan Railway’s (JR East) next-generation E10 Shinkansen trains in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

Also Read: Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train: Next-Gen 'Shinkansen E10' On Agenda During PM Modi's Visit To Japan In August