Bullet train project expected to be ready by 2029: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that the work on the Gujarat section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor is expected to be completed by December 2027, while the entire 508-km bullet train project is likely to be finished by December 2029.

Vaishnaw, responding to questions in the Parliament, said that the bullet train corridor is being developed with technical and financial support from Japan.

He said that it will pass through Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, with 12 stations planned across key locations including Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, and Ahmedabad.

The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 1.08 lakh crore, with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funding 81% (Rs 88,000 crore).

The remaining 19% (Rs 20,000 crore) is being shared equally by the Ministry of Railways, and the state governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

As of June 30, a cumulative expenditure of Rs 78,839 crore has been incurred. While delays in land acquisition in Maharashtra impacted the project until 2021. However,  Vaishnaw confirmed that all 1,389.5 hectares of required land have now been acquired.

Additionally, he added that all civil contracts have been awarded, with 24 out of 28 total packages finalized.

Construction progress includes 392 km of pier work, 329 km of girder casting, and 308 km of girder launching, with tunneling work—including a 21 km undersea tunnel—also underway.

Vaishnaw mentioned that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for other high-speed rail corridors are also in the works, but any new projects will depend on technical and financial feasibility, demand, and funding availability.

He further said that an affordable fare structure will be designed, considering socio-economic conditions, to ensure wide adoption once operations begin.