NHSRCL and Afcons to build Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train Undersea Tunnel
The under-construction Mumbai - Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor (MAHSR) is a highly anticipated rail network line. It is slated to include India’s 1st 21 km long tunnel, with a distance of 7 km under the sea.
On June 8, National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) signed an agreement with a Shapoorji Pallonji subsidiary, Afcons Infrastructure for the construction of this undersea tunnel. The contract is valued at ₹6,397 crores.
Specifications of MAHSR project
Located at the Thane Creek near Mumbai, the tunnel will have underground stations at Bandra-Kurla Complex and Shilphata. To be a single tube structure, it will accommodate twin tracks for upward and downward movement of trains.
Three tunnel boring machines (TBMs) with a cutter head of 13.1 metre diameter will be used for boring 16 km of the tunnel portion, while the remainder 5 km will be done using New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM).
Once completed, the tunnel will run from a minimum depth of 25 metre to a maximum depth of 65 metre from the ground level. Additionally, more than 60 km of viaduct in Gujarat has been completed, while preliminary work has commenced near Bandra-Kurla station. The trial run of the bullet train is anticipated to take place between Surat and Bilimora in 2026.
To get all the latest content, download our mobile application. Available for both iOS & Android devices.