Ashwini Vaishnaw Shares 1st "Breakthrough" In Undersea Bullet Train Tunnel

The construction of the first 2.7-km stretch of India's ambitious 21-km undersea bullet train tunnel has been completed. Located between Ghansoli and Shilphata, the section is a part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor that will connect Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Thane.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the development on X, calling it the "first breakthrough" in the undersea tunnel's construction. He also posted images of the nearly completed segment.

"First breakthrough of 2.7 km section of undersea tunnel (total 21 km) of the Bullet train project," the minister wrote on X.

First breakthrough of 2.7 km section of undersea tunnel (total 21 kms) of the Bullet train project!

????between Ghansoli & Shilphata in Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/qD80UaLUtJ

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 14, 2025

The MAHSR corridor, India's first bullet train route, is being developed with Japanese Shinkansen technology and promises to redefine rail travel with speeds of up to 320 kmph, drastically cutting travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to about two hours.

Japan has agreed to introduce its next-generation E10 Shinkansen trains on the MAHSR corridor. These high-speed trains will debut simultaneously in Japan and India, according to the Railway Ministry.

The E10 Shinkansen, Japan's most advanced bullet train, will replace the E5 series in Japan and operate for the first time outside Japan on India's 508-km high-speed route. It is known for its enhanced safety systems and superior speed capabilities.

Engineers have completed 310 km of viaducts, 15 river bridges, and five of the 12 planned stations. Three more stations are nearing completion. 

The BKC station in Mumbai stands out as a major engineering feat. Being built 32.5 metres underground, the station will have a foundation strong enough to support a 95-metre-high commercial building above it, making it one of the most structurally complex transit hubs in the country.

Simultaneous work on laying tracks, installing overhead electrical systems, and setting up operational and signalling infrastructure is in progress.