Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail tunnel breakthrough

09 Oct 2023 CW Team

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) celebrates a significant achievement as it marks the breakthrough of the mountain tunnel for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor project. This remarkable feat stands as the first completed mountain tunnel, achieved in a remarkably short span of just 10 months.

Situated approximately 1 kilometre away from Zaroli Village in Umbergaon Taluka, within the Valsad district of Gujarat, this tunnel structure encompasses the tunnel itself, the tunnel portal, and other connecting elements such as the tunnel entrance hood.

The construction of this tunnel employs the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), involving a systematic process that includes:

1. Marking of drill holes on the tunnel face. 2. Drilling of holes. 3. Charging of explosives. 4. Controlled blasting. 5. Removal of muck (blasted rock pieces). 6. Installation of primary support, encompassing steel ribs, lattice girder, shotcrete, and rock bolts, tailored to the type of rock as assessed by geologists after each blast.

Salient Features of the Mountain Tunnel:

- Total Tunnel Length: 350 meters. - Diameter of Tunnel: 12.6 meters. - Height of Tunnel: 10.25 meters. - Tunnel Shape: Single tube horse-shoe shaped. - Number of Tracks: 2 tracks.

The completion of this mountain tunnel marks a significant step forward in the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, promising enhanced connectivity and convenience for passengers in the future. The NHSRCL continues to work diligently towards the realisation of this transformative railway network.

Infrastructure Transport

29 Oct 2025

Taking Flight!

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8, 2025, it marked far more than the opening of another terminal – it signified a turning point in India’s aviation and infrastructure narrative. Developed by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) in partnership with the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), NMIA represents a bold vision of how modern India intends to connect its people, power its economy and project its identity on the global stage.“The Navi Mumbai International Airport is a project that exemplifies the visio..

Highway Guidelines 2.0

In August 2025, a Public Accounts Committee comprising members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha presented a report, ‘Levy and Regulation of Fees, Tariffs, User Charges etc on Public Infrastructure and Other Public Utilities in the context of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).Having examined present design accountability, subcontracting, pavement failures, emergency response mechanisms, toll reforms, service quality, stakeholder consultations and other aspects, the Committee presented recommendations covering the planning a..

Railways approves major upgrade for Telangana traction lines

The Ministry of Railways has approved the upgradation of the electric traction system in two crucial railway sections — Medchal–Mudkhed (225 km) and Mahbubnagar–Dhone (184 km). The projects, costing Rs 1.93 billion and Rs 1.23 billion respectively, will enhance the electric traction capacity from 1X25 KV to 2X25 KV. The work includes modifications to circuit breakers and switching stations, along with the installation of additional conductors. These routes serve as vital links between Northern and Southern India via Hyderabad. Once completed, the upgraded system will reduce voltage dro..