Construction Begins on Entry Points for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Tunnel

Mumbai/Ahmedabad, 9th February 2024: Construction work on the entry points to the 21-kilometer-long tunnel for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is currently underway at four locations: BKC, Vikhroli, Thane, and Sawli near Ghansoli. These locations serve as crucial entry points to the underground rail tunnel, facilitating the movement of tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) and subsequent tunnel construction activities.

At a depth of 56 meters underground, the tunnel’s deepest stretch will be in Vikhroli, where land was secured from Godrej & Boyce by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) in February 2023. The actual tunnel construction will commence once the entry points are prepared and TBMs are deployed. Three shafts are being constructed at BKC, Vikhroli, and Sawli to facilitate TBM deployment in multiple directions. The tunnel will reach depths ranging from 25 to 57 meters, with the deepest point being 114 meters below Parsik Hill near Shilphata.

The tunnel construction will involve the use of three TBMs to excavate approximately 16 kilometres of the tunnel, including a seven-kilometre stretch under Thane Creek. The remaining five kilometres will be constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The tunnel will accommodate twin tracks for up and down rail lines.

In areas with high population density and existing utilities, controlled blasting is employed to construct shafts. Measures are taken to mitigate air pollution, as witnessed at the BKC site in November last year.

Regarding the BKC bullet train station, NHSRCL has acquired the necessary land and commenced construction using the bottom-up method. Excavation work will reach a depth of 32 meters, with approximately 18 lakh cubic meters of material to be excavated. A significant workforce of labourers and supervisors is currently engaged in construction activities, with peak daily employment estimated at 6,000 individuals.