NEW DELHI( Metro Rail News): India’s first Bullet Train Project will reach an important milestone on Sunday when Ashwini Vaishnaw will launch underground tunnelling work between Vikhroli and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai.
According to a PTI report, This is going to be the first time that a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will be used for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project. The tunnelling work is part of the 20.37 km underground section of the high-speed rail corridor. It includes a 7 km undersea tunnel, which is one of the most challenging parts of the project.
Tunnel work to begin from Vikhroli
According to officials from the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the Railway Minister will push a button to start the TBM operation located 56.6 metres below ground level at Vikhroli. The first TBM will dig a tunnel of around 5.8 km from Vikhroli to the BKC station. The second TBM is currently being assembled at Sawli and it is expected that this TBM will be ready within a week. It will excavate the 9.7 km section between Sawli and Vikhroli, which includes the 7 km undersea stretch.
Tunnel construction plan
The underground tunnel extends from BKC to Shilphata and it spans a total length of 20.37 km. The 15.4 km stretch between BKC and Sawli will be built using TBMs. The remaining 4.8 km between Sawli and Shilphata has already been completed using the drill-and-blast method. The tunnel will run about 65 metres below ground level. It will have a single tube with twin tracks for trains running in both directions. A senior from Indian Railways said each TBM can excavate nearly 300 metres every month. Once both machines start working, the project team expects to complete around 600 metres of tunnelling each month.
Among the largest TBMs used in India
Afcons Infrastructure Limited is building this section. It brought the two customised German-made TBMs to India by sea from China in March 2026. Each machine has a cutter head diameter of 13.6 metres, making them among the largest TBMs used in any railway project in the country. The project also includes:
- A shaft at Vikhroli with a depth of around 56 metres.
- A shaft at Sawli with a depth of around 39 metres.
- Construction of 39 equipment rooms at 37 locations along the tunnel route.
Afcons has previously worked on major projects such as the Chenab Bridge, the under-river tunnel of Kolkata Metro’s East-West Corridor, and the Atal Tunnel under Rohtang Pass.
About the Bullet Train Project
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor stretches 508 km and will become the country’s first bullet train route. The corridor will connect Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. Bullet trains on the route will run at speeds of up to 320 kmph. This train is going to have limited stop service and will only halt at Surat, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad. It will cut travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to about 2 hours and 7 minutes.