Daijiworld Media Network- Ghansoli

Ghansoli, Jul 15: In a historic leap for India’s high-speed rail ambitions, the first section of the undersea tunnel for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project was officially opened at Ghansoli, marking a key milestone in the country’s most ambitious infrastructure project.

The development signals the beginning of the tunnel phase beneath the Thane Creek — a 21-kilometre-long underground section, including a 7-km stretch under the sea. This will be the first of its kind in India, designed to handle trains speeding up to 320 kmph.

Officials confirmed that construction activities are gathering pace across Maharashtra, with the laying of tracks, erection of overhead electrical wires, and building of stations and bridges progressing rapidly. Ghansoli, in Navi Mumbai, has emerged as a crucial hub in the mega project, with heavy tunnelling machinery, boring equipment, and workforce mobilised in full swing.

A release from the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) stated that alongside civil construction, procurement of advanced systems for operations, signalling, and control is also progressing steadily.

This section of the bullet train project is part of the 508-kilometre Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, set to dramatically reduce travel time between the two cities to just over two hours. The project is being built with Japanese assistance under the Shinkansen technology model, with Japanese experts actively involved in design and safety protocols.

Once completed, the undersea tunnel is expected to be one of the most iconic engineering feats in India’s transport history, showcasing technological prowess and international collaboration.

Authorities are optimistic that with the current pace of execution, the corridor will meet its revised deadlines, setting a benchmark for future high-speed rail projects across the nation.