No More Advance Booking: Bullet Train to Offer Convenient Travel for Middle Class
Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu) : Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav has provided a new update on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. He stated that the construction of the approximately 5-kilometer-long tunnel between Ghansoli and Shilphata has been completed. This significant milestone was achieved in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project on Saturday morning.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told the media that this tunnel is part of a proposed 21-km-long undersea tunnel between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) station and Shilphata, 7 km of which passes under Thane Creek. A breakthrough occurred on Saturday in a crucial section of this undersea tunnel, a segment of the 4.881-km-long tunnel. He said that a Japanese team visited and reviewed the entire project on Friday. Everyone praised the construction and quality of work.
Ashwini Vaishnav informed that approximately 320 kilometers of bridges or bridge sections have been completed in this project. Excellent work is underway at all stations. Bridges being built over rivers are also being completed rapidly. The Sabarmati Terminal is almost complete. The Railway Minister said, “The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train will reduce the travel time from Mumbai to Ahmedabad by 2 hours and 7 minutes. Major cities along the route include Thane, Vapi, Surat, Baroda, and Anand. The economy of all these cities will also grow. This will greatly benefit the entire region.” Regarding the bullet train timings, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, “Trains will run every half an hour during the morning and evening peak hours. Initially, trains will run every half an hour during peak hours. Later, when the entire network stabilizes, service will be available every 10 minutes during peak hours.”
Ashwini Vaishnav further said, "If you want to travel from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, the need to book tickets in advance will end. Just arrive at the station, catch a train in 10 minutes, and reach your destination in two hours. This will create a new approach to the entire service." He said that the first phase will be operational in 2027. It will run between Surat and Bilimora. Bullet train service will begin in Thane in 2028, and then the project will reach Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) by 2029. Regarding fares, Ashwini Vaishnav said that the bullet train will be a middle-class ride. The entire fare structure will be a middle-class fare structure.