NEW DELHI (Metro Rail News): Union Minister of Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, informed the parliament on Wednesday about the progress of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. According to the minister, the groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held on September 14, 2017. As of February this year, physical progress of 32.93% in Gujarat and 13.72% in Maharashtra had been achieved.
The minister informed the members that approximately 257 km of piling, 180 km of foundation, 155 km of the pier, and 37 km of girder launching had been completed in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli out of the total 352 km elevated viaduct. The estimated cost of the MAHSR project was Rs. 108,000 crore in 2015, and the expenditure till now incurred on the project is Rs. 38,506 crore.
However, the execution of the project has been affected by delays in land acquisition in Maharashtra and the subsequent delay in finalizing contracts, as well as the adverse impact of the Covid pandemic. In response to a question, the minister stated that the anticipated cost and timeline for the project could only be determined after the completion of land acquisition and finalization of all contracts and associated timelines.
The MAHSR project is a high-speed rail corridor connecting the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The project is being implemented with technical and financial assistance from the government of Japan. The 508 km corridor will have 12 stations, including Mumbai (BKC), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati.
Once completed, the MAHSR will reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The project is expected to provide a boost to the economies of Maharashtra and Gujarat and create job opportunities. The MAHSR project is a crucial step towards improving India’s infrastructure and strengthening its position as a global economic power.
