Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train: First Mountain Tunnel Completed in Palghar
Palghar, Maharashtra, Jan 02: A major milestone in the 508-km Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (Bullet Train) project was achieved on Friday with the completion of the 1.5-km-long Mountain Tunnel-5 (MT-5) in Palghar district, marking the first mountain tunnel to be completed on the entire corridor.
The tunnel is located between the Virar and Boisar bullet train stations and is among the longest mountain tunnels in the district. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually witnessed the final breakthrough of the tunnel from Rail Bhawan in New Delhi.
According to the Railway Ministry, the breakthrough of MT-5 is a significant step forward for construction works in Maharashtra and clears a major stretch of the high-speed rail alignment passing through Palghar. It is the second major tunnel breakthrough in Maharashtra, following the completion of the 5-km-long underground tunnel between Thane and Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in September 2025.
The MT-5 forms a crucial part of the corridor connecting Mumbai with Ahmedabad and reflects steady progress in challenging terrain. Officials said the completion of the mountain tunnel highlights the growing pace of infrastructure development in Palghar district, which is emerging as an important segment of the country’s first bullet train project.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, passing through Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, is designed for trains running at 320 kmph, reducing travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to about 2 hours and 17 minutes. Earlier this week, Vaishnaw reiterated that India’s first bullet train is expected to be operational by August 15, 2027. He said the rollout will be phased, starting with the Surat–Bilimora section, followed by Vapi–Surat, Vapi–Ahmedabad, Thane–Ahmedabad, and finally the full Mumbai–Ahmedabad stretch.
The MAHSR project will have 12 stations, namely Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati. Of these, Virar and Boisar are the two bullet train stations located in Palghar district.
