Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train to be operational by 2028: Fadnavis

File photo of Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the long-awaited Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train will be operational by 2028.

"By 2028, we will be able to travel in the bullet train," Fadnavis said at an event, adding that neighbouring state Gujarat is ahead of Maharashtra on the project development.

The chief minister also took a veiled dig at Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray, saying that the project suffered during a two-year rule until 2022, but now the work is on in full swing.

The $15 billion Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is being built in collaboration with Japan.

The bullet train project will India's inaugural high-speed rail corridor, spanning 508 kilometers and connecting Mumbai with Ahmedabad.

The project aims to cut the travel time between the two cities to approximately two hours. The first operational segment in Gujarat is anticipated to commence by 2026.

The high-speed rail line is being built using Japan's Shinkansen technology, and the project aims to create a high-frequency mass transportation system. The project has been funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with a soft loan of Rs 88,000 crore from Japan. Announced in 2017, the corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will see bullet trains running at a speed of 320 kmph.

During the event, Fadnavis also said Maharashtra is looking to raise $50 billion from international financiers for infrastructure development in the state, and announcements for the same will be done in four months.

(With inputs from PTI)