The latest Oct 2023
Surat’s first steel bridge for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor has been put in place near Kamrej Toll Plaza on National Highway 53 in the city. The bridge is 70 metres in length and over 12 metres in height.
The Surat’s first steel bridge is one of the twenty-eight steel bridges planned for the corridor according to National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). Of the 28, 17 are set in Gujarat and 11 in Maharashtra. Reportedly, around 70,000 metric tons of steel are expected to be used for the construction of the 28 steel bridges.
The announcement of the steel bridge comes following the announcement of the start of the construction of one of the seven mountain tunnels in Zaroli village, Umberagaon taluka. The remaining six are reportedly at Palghar in Maharashtra.
Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed/bullet train project overview
Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is a high-speed rail line under construction in India. It connects the South Asian country’s economic hub, Mumbai, with the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
Also Read: Anji Khad Bridge, the first cable-stayed railway bridge in India
The 508km project is a part of the 650 km-long high-speed rail corridor that was proposed to run from Pune to Ahmedabad through Mumbai. It comprises 460.3 km of viaducts, 25.87 km of tunnels (including a 7km section undersea), 12.9 km of cut and fill, and 9.22 km of bridges.
The line will have a total of 12 stations in Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand/Nadiad, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati. The stations will be constructed either above or next to existing railway stations to provide transfer with the Indian Railways network.
Two rail depots will also be built as part of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project, one each near Thane and Sabarmati Rail Depot.
Shinkansen E5 trains, which are capable of running at a maximum speed of 350 kilometres per hour (220 miles per hour), will run on the line at a speed of 320 kilometres per hour (200 miles per hour).
Upon completion, Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is expected to be the first of its kind in India upon completion, the
Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor Project team
The US$17.15bn project is being implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam and the National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC).
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) agreed to fund 81% of the total project cost through a 50-year loan at an interest rate of 0.1% with a moratorium on repayments up to 15 years. The remaining cost will be borne by the state governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Other key players in the project include the Ministry of Railways, the Government of India / HSRC, and a joint venture (JV) comprising Japan International Consultants for Transportation (JIC), NIPPON KOEI, and Oriental Consultants Global.
This is in addition to the General Counsel, Taru Leading Edge, French National Railway (SNCF), and the French Ministry of Finance among others.
Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project timeline
2017
In September 2017, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe broke ground for the start of the construction works that the NHSRCL divided into 27 packages for which it would award contracts separately.
2019
In April, the NHSCRL floated tenders for the construction of the undersea tunnel, and in August of this same year, another tender for works between Vadodara and Ahmedabad was advertised.
2021
In January, the NHSRCL invited final bids for the construction of the Mumbai terminal.
In July of this same year, NHSRCL announced that it had cast the first full-height pier for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor project near Vapi, Gujarat.
In August the agency floated tenders for the construction of the Sabarmati depot.
In September, a Full Span Launching Equipment-Straddle Carrier and Girder Transporter were deployed for use in the project. The equipment, 30 of such will be used in the construction of the project, was indigenously designed and manufactured at Larsen and Toubro’s manufacturing facility in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
In early October, the first segment for the Mumbai- Ahmedabad HSR corridor was cast at a casting yard near Navsari. These segments are 11.90 to 12.4m in length and 2.1 to 2.5 m in width with a depth of 3.40 m & weighing approx. 60 MT. 19 such segments will make a span of 45m.
In late October, NHSRCL invited bids for the construction of a 21-km long single-tube twin-track tunnel, with a diameter of 13.1 m, between the underground station at Bandra-Kurla Complex and Shilphata in the Thane district of Maharashtra.
15.42 km of tunneling will be carried out with three TBMs and the remaining 4.96 km will be built using NATM.
In early November, the casting of a full-span pre-stressed concrete (PSC) box girder to be used for the project was launched. This was the second PSC box girder developed for the project according to NHSRCL.
Jul 2022
All permissions granted for the Mumbai–Ahmedabad rail project
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed/bullet train project implementation is set to take off. This is after the Maharashtra government through the CM (Eknath Shinde) granted all permissions required for the project.
This move brings to life the project which was stuck due to a lack of the necessary clearances from the government. The permissions included land acquisition, especially at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Vikhroli in Mumbai. Reportedly paperwork for acquiring 74% of the total land (433.82 Ha) required in Maharashtra for the project has been completed so far.
However, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) had had physical possession of only 39% (168 Ha) of land. The remaining had been pending since 2019 when the MVA government was formed.
Directive to sort out the land acquisition issues
Maharashtra Chief Secretary Manukumar Shrivastava undertook a review of the bullet train project. He told the collector of Mumbai Suburbs, Nidhi Chaudhari, the collector of Thane, Rajesh Narvekar, and the collector of Palghar, Manik Gursal, to sort out the land acquisition issues.
Furthermore, Shrivastava asked the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to hand over the Bandra plot to the NHSRCL and shift the petrol pump and fire station at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Vikhroli in Mumbai soon.
Other clearances hindering the start of the project
Apart from the land acquisition, forest clearance in the state was also pending.
Speaking on the project an official close to it said, “Shifting of Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Corporation Limited (MSETCL) lines and Forest Clearance Stage-I for 29.32 ha forest land for shifting of EHV lines pertaining to PGCIL and MSETCL in Palghar and Thane districts and shifting of DC Earthing Station, for rolling stock depot, to an alternate location by MSETCL in Thane district was also pending.”
Aug 2022
Bids invited for Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC)
Bids for the design and construction of Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the only underground station in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor, have been invited.
The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) invited bids for the high-speed rail station in Mumbai under the C1 package. The package, in addition to the BKC station, also includes a cut and cover length of 467m and a ventilation Shaft of 66m. This shaft will be used for taking out the tunnel boring machine (retrieval shaft).
The Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) will reportedly have 6 platforms. The length of each forum is approx. 425m which makes it sufficient to accommodate a 16-coach bullet train. The station will have connectivity with the metro and road.
Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) design overview
The Complex is planned at a depth of about 24 meters from the ground level. It will feature a total of three floors including a platform, concourse, and service floor. Two entry/exit points are planned. One will facilitate access to the nearby Metro station of metro line 2B, and the other towards the MTNL building.
Furthermore, the station has been planned in a way that ample space is available for passenger movement and amenities at the concourse and platform levels. These amenities include- security, ticketing, Waiting areas, a business-class Lounge, a nursery, restrooms, and smoking rooms. In addition, there will be Information Kiosks and incidental retail, public information, and announcement systems not to mention CCTV surveillance, etc.
Moreover, the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) will feature a dedicated skylight for natural lighting. The plan has also put into consideration, the integration with other modes of transportation like the metro, Buses, autos, and taxis.
Dec 2022
Contract awarded for construction of Sabarmati Depot (MAHSR – D-2) in Gujarat
A contract has been awarded under the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project for the construction of Sabarmati Depot (MAHSR – D-2) in Gujarat. The contract was awarded to a consortium comprising Sojitz Corporation of Japan, and the construction arm of Larsen and Tourbo by the National High-Speed Rail Corp. Ltd. (NHSRCL).
The scope of the MAHSR -D-2 package project involves the design, supply, construction, and testing in addition to the commissioning of the depot. Spread over approximately 82 hectares the depot will include various specialized equipment to inspect and maintain the MAHSR rolling stock based on the proven Shinkansen technology. Upon completion, Sabarmati Depot (MAHSR – D-2) will be the biggest of its kind in India according to L&T.
In May 2022, the railways business of L&T Construction was awarded another contract under the MAHSR Project by NHSRCL. The contract entails the construction of 116 route km of High-Speed Ballastless Trackwork (Package No: T3).
April 2023
Anand-Nadiad Station concourse works completely
The construction of the 425-meter-long concourse at Anand-Nadiad Station along the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail is complete. This was revealed in a press release by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited.
According to the release, the slab work for the station began in September 2022 and was completed on April 12, 2023. It comprised the construction of a total of nine portions. The work took up 10,500 cubic meters of concrete and 2,200 metric tons of steel reinforcement.
The Anand-Nadiad Station is the first station on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor to achieve this milestone.
Overview of the Anand-Nadiad Station
The station is located approximately 600 meters from the Uttarsanda Railway Station. It will feature a white exterior and interior design inspired by the Milk and White Revolution. Anand-Nadiad station will have a two-sided platform and a waiting area. In addition, it will have a business lounge at the concourse level, a nursery, and shops.
The station is the second stop on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail route that begins at Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati station.
Sep 2023
Construction of a track system begun in Surat
The construction of a track system for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor track system has begun in Surat, India.
This track system is a one of kind in the country. It is not a traditional or ballasted track system that comprises rail fixed to sleepers supported by crushed stones. Instead, it is a ballastless track system like the one used in Japan’s high-speed rail system, the Shinkansen.
The system comprises a pre-cast track slab over which fastening devices and rails are fitted. The slab rests on a reinforced concrete (RC) track bed which has a thickness of approximately 300mm and a width of 2,420 mm.
RC anchors which are 520 mm in diameter and 260 mm tall are fixed to help avoid any longitudinal and lateral restraint to the track slab. These anchors are constructed at approximately 5 m from centre to centre.
Concourse and rail level slab construction complete at Surat high-speed rail station
Late last month, Surat high-speed rail station became the first station on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor to complete the construction of the concourse and rail level slab. This was revealed by the Nation High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).
The Surat high-speed rail station concourse is 450 m long while its rail level slab is 450 m long. The first slab at Surat HSR station was cast on 22 August 2022.
Sep 2023
Construction of mountain tunnel along Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail commences
Construction of a mountain tunnel along the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail has commenced as part of the C4 package.
The mountain tunnel, which is the only tunnel in the C4 package of the MAHSR project, is coming up approximately 1 Km away from Zaroli Village in Umberagaon taluka, Valsad District, Gujarat. It will be 350 meters long, with a diameter of 12.6 meters and a height of 10.25 meters. The single-tube horseshoe-shaped tunnel will have a total of 2 rail tracks.
Noteworthy, this tunnel is one of the seven of its kind along the MAHSR corridor. The tunnels are being built using the New Austrian Tunneling Method.
