Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India’s bullet train is slated to begin testing by May or June next year, with testing expected to last two to four months before inauguration by the Prime Minister. He spoke at the NaMo for Viksit Bharat event in Vadodara and noted that the first body frame had been completed and sent for a squeeze test. The project was described as part of the drive for an Atmanirbhar Bharat and rapid modernisation of rail infrastructure.

The minister said the bullet train will cut travel time between Vadodara and Mumbai to one and a half hours, signalling a significant reduction in journey durations on the corridor. He added that work on the Surat?Vapi section is expected to be completed by December this year, supporting the timetable for testing and commissioning. These timelines were presented as part of a wider plan to accelerate high speed connectivity.

Mr Vaishnaw outlined reforms across Indian Railways, saying operating and reservation systems would be modernised and outdated construction protocols revised to improve efficiency. He highlighted new wagon designs, including a special model for salt transportation, and noted that cargo trains using Vande Bharat technology were being completed. The minister also pointed to completion of long pending projects such as the Chenab Bridge and the rail link to Mizoram as evidence of renewed momentum.

He said 280 railway stations had been redeveloped and 36,000 km of new tracks had been developed, and that the pace of projects had increased despite challenges from the COVID?19 pandemic. The first section of the bullet train project was completed in 2020 and subsequent sections have since accelerated, the minister said. The modern face of Indian Railways that is emerging was presented as a legacy to benefit many future generations.