Rail Minister To Launch Mumbai Ahmedabad Bullet Train Tunnel Work

10 Jul 2026 CW Team

An official of the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) said the Railway Minister would push a button to commence the operation of a TBM stationed 56.6 metres below ground at Vikhroli. The first TBM will begin tunnelling from Vikhroli towards the BKC station, covering a distance of approximately five point eight km. A second TBM is being assembled at Sawli and is expected to be ready within a week; it will excavate the nine point seven km stretch from Sawli to Vikhroli, including the seven km undersea section.

A senior railway expert said each TBM is expected to excavate about 300 metres of tunnel every month, and that once both machines become operational around 600 metres of tunnelling will be completed monthly. The 20.37 km package stretches from BKC to Shilphata, of which 15.4 km between BKC and Sawli will be excavated using TBMs while the remaining four point eight km from Sawli to Shilphata has already been completed using the drill-and-blast method. The tunnel will be a single-tube structure designed to accommodate twin tracks for bi-directional traffic.

Two shafts at Vikhroli and Sawli, at depths of about 56 metres and 39 metres respectively, will facilitate construction, and 39 equipment rooms at 37 locations will be built adjoining the tunnel alignment. The TBMs are among the largest and most expensive deployed in India, each with a cutter head diameter of 13.6 metres. By comparison, TBMs used for urban metro projects typically have cutter head diameters of five to six metres.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will inaugurate the underground tunnel-boring operation from Vikhroli to the Bandra Kurla Complex station on Sunday, marking the first use in India of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor. The machines, two customised German-made TBMs imported from China in March 2026, are owned by Afcons Infrastructure Limited (Afcons), which is constructing a 20.37 km tunnel including a seven km undersea stretch. The tunnel will be built at a depth of about 65 metres below ground level. An official of the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) said the Railway Minister would push a button to commence the operation of a TBM stationed 56.6 metres below ground at Vikhroli. The first TBM will begin tunnelling from Vikhroli towards the BKC station, covering a distance of approximately five point eight km. A second TBM is being assembled at Sawli and is expected to be ready within a week; it will excavate the nine point seven km stretch from Sawli to Vikhroli, including the seven km undersea section. A senior railway expert said each TBM is expected to excavate about 300 metres of tunnel every month, and that once both machines become operational around 600 metres of tunnelling will be completed monthly. The 20.37 km package stretches from BKC to Shilphata, of which 15.4 km between BKC and Sawli will be excavated using TBMs while the remaining four point eight km from Sawli to Shilphata has already been completed using the drill-and-blast method. The tunnel will be a single-tube structure designed to accommodate twin tracks for bi-directional traffic. Two shafts at Vikhroli and Sawli, at depths of about 56 metres and 39 metres respectively, will facilitate construction, and 39 equipment rooms at 37 locations will be built adjoining the tunnel alignment. The TBMs are among the largest and most expensive deployed in India, each with a cutter head diameter of 13.6 metres. By comparison, TBMs used for urban metro projects typically have cutter head diameters of five to six metres.

Real Estate

07 Aug 2026

BXB Estates Sets AED 110 Million Jumeirah Golf Estates Record

BXB Estates has completed an AED 110 million residential transaction at Jumeirah Golf Estates, setting a new sales record for the prestigious Dubai residential community.Negotiated by Alfie Tabrez, Managing Partner of BXB Estates, the deal surpassed the previous record of AED 58 million for a completed ready villa in the development.The six-bedroom residence offers 21,714 sq ft of built-up space on a 15,873-sq-ft plot. It features nine bathrooms, four living lounges, a home office, bar lounge, private cinema and rooftop terrace.The property also includes a dedicated wellness area comprising a ..

Infrastructure Urban

07 Aug 2026

SECR Floats Rs 6,019 Mn EPC Tender For Paradol Nagpur Link

South East Central Railway (SECR) has invited bids for an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to build a new broad gauge single line between Paradol Takeoff Point and Nagpur Road Station in Chhattisgarh. The contract carries an estimated cost of Rs 6,019.0 mn and requires an earnest money deposit of Rs 120.4 mn. The work is framed as an EPC assignment intended to strengthen regional rail infrastructure. The tender, issued under number CAO-C-BSP-26-27-15, specifies a completion period of 730 days and a bid validity of 180 days. Two pre-bid meetings are scheduled for 24 Augu..

Infrastructure Transport

07 Aug 2026

Indian Railways Reports Nine Per Cent Rise In July Freight Loading

Indian Railways handled 141.3 million tonnes (141.3 mn t) of freight in July, marking a rise of nine per cent year on year. Freight loading maintained a positive trajectory across the network compared with the same month last year. Passenger traffic also increased in July, contributing to higher overall network utilisation. The July outcome continued a pattern of steady monthly gains, reflecting gradual improvement in industrial and logistics activity. The growth in freight volumes reflected stronger demand across multiple sectors and improvements in logistics and train turnarounds. Enhanced r..