Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday announced that India’s first bullet train will begin operations by August 2027. Speaking at the first Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference held at Ganpat University in Mehsana, Vaishnaw said that construction on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor is progressing rapidly and smoothly, especially in Gujarat.
“Wire ducts have been completed, girders installed, and work on tracks and electrification is in progress. Recently, Japan’s Minister Nakano visited Gujarat to review the project. We aim to run the first bullet train by August 2027,” Vaishnaw said.
The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor will connect 12 stations — from Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex to Sabarmati in Ahmedabad — passing through Thane, Surat, Vadodara, and other cities. The 1.1 lakh crore project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2017.
According to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), significant milestones have been achieved:
- 323 km of viaducts and 399 km of piers are complete
- 17 river bridges, five PSC bridges, and nine steel bridges built
- 211 km of track bed ready
- Over four lakh noise barriers installed
In Maharashtra, excavation for seven mountain tunnels in Palghar is underway, and 5 km of the 21-km underground NATM tunnel between Bandra Kurla Complex and Shilphata has achieved breakthrough. Depots at Surat and Ahmedabad are under construction, and work on elevated stations in Maharashtra has begun.
Highlighting Gujarat’s role in India’s infrastructure growth, Vaishnaw said the state’s strong railway network made it ideal to host the country’s first bullet train. “In the past 11 years, Gujarat has built 2,764 km of new railway lines — more than the total railway network of Denmark,” he said.
He added that Gujarat has attracted 1.46 lakh crore in railway investments and is emerging as a hub for semiconductors and electronics, with 1.25 lakh crore invested in the sector and four major plants coming up. Around 30 Japanese companies are also preparing to manufacture key components in the state.
India’s electronics manufacturing industry, Vaishnaw noted, has grown to ₹12 lakh crore in the past 11 years — reflecting the country’s expanding capacity in high-tech infrastructure and innovation.