Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today announced an important achievement in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, also known as India’s first bullet train corridor. The team has successfully completed the breakthrough of the second mountain tunnel in Palghar district, Maharashtra.
Calling it a major milestone, the Minister said the second tunnel breakthrough was completed within just one month. The first tunnel breakthrough had taken place earlier, on January 2 this year. He said the fast progress shows the strong commitment and hard work of the engineers and workers involved in the project.
Mr Vaishnaw also shared updates on other construction work. He said that 334 kilometres of viaduct have already been built, along with pier construction for 417 kilometres. These structures are important as they support the elevated tracks on which the high-speed trains will run.
The Minister praised the entire project team for maintaining a good pace of work. He said the world is closely watching India as it builds its first high-speed rail network, which will bring modern and faster travel to the country.
He also welcomed the government’s announcement in the Union Budget 2026–27 about seven new high-speed rail corridors across India. According to him, these new corridors will greatly improve connectivity and reduce travel time between major cities.
As an example, Mr Vaishnaw said the proposed Delhi–Varanasi high-speed rail corridor will cut travel time between the two cities to just three hours and fifty minutes, making journeys faster and more convenient for passengers.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project is expected to transform rail travel in India by offering safe, fast, and comfortable transportation and boosting economic growth along the route.