Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw attributed the sluggish progress of the country's first bullet train project to the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government's tardiness in granting permissions.
Vaishnaw, while overseeing the project's development, emphasised its potential to stimulate economic growth.
During a media interaction at the project site, Vaishnaw revealed plans for the Surat-Bilimora section, spanning 508 kilometres between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, to potentially commence operations by July-August 2026. Subsequent sections will be opened gradually, he added.
The high-speed corridor will offer both 'limited stop' and 'all stop' services, with travel times between Mumbai and Ahmedabad estimated at two hours and two hours 45 minutes, respectively.
Managed by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the project envisages 12 stations across its route.
Expressing regret over the delays, Vaishnaw indicated that permissions were expedited under the subsequent Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, following the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition led by Thackeray.
“Had the (then) Uddhav Thackeray government given all the permissions faster, this project might have progressed much ahead by now,” Vaishnav said.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Thackeray fell in 2022 after Shinde split the Shiv Sena with his rebellion. Shinde then aligned with the BJP to form the government and became the chief minister, with Fadnavis taking the deputy CM’s post.
Highlighting progress in Gujarat, Vaishnaw underscored the need for Maharashtra to catch up swiftly, characterising the project as pivotal for economic integration among key cities.
He stressed the economic significance of high-speed rail, emphasizing its potential to transform areas like Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad into a unified economic zone.
Innovations to accelerate tunnel construction, including simultaneous work at multiple points, were outlined by Vaishnaw, acknowledging the challenges associated with the ambitious project, including the 21-kilometer tunnel, including a 7-kilometer undersea stretch.
Addressing the project's technological complexities, Vaishnaw highlighted the need for India to attain expertise in such endeavours, particularly for populous cities requiring efficient transport systems.
He said that there are complexities and difficulties tied to the corridor as trains will run at 320 kmph on it, “but our biggest aim in this project is to understand this complete technology.”
According to NHSRCL, significant progress has been made in constructing the 21-kilometer shaft, including India's first undersea tunnel, utilising advanced tunnelling techniques.
The project's estimated cost stands at Rs 1.08 lakh crore, with the Indian government contributing Rs 10,000 crore, while Gujarat and Maharashtra are expected to contribute Rs 5,000 crore each. The remainder will be financed by Japan through a loan carrying a nominal interest rate of 0.1 percent.