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• The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project has achieved a breakthrough in its third mountain tunnel, a 417-metre-long structure located in Palghar district, Maharashtra.
• The milestone marks the completion of all three mountain tunnels between the upcoming Vapi and Boisar Bullet Train stations, a key section of the high-speed rail corridor.
• With three mountain tunnels excavated within the last five months, construction activity is accelerating across one of the project’s most technically challenging stretches.
Construction of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project has reached another significant milestone with the successful breakthrough of the third mountain tunnel in Maharashtra. The tunnel, designated MT-07, is located at Ambesari village in Dahanu Taluka of Palghar district and forms part of the high-speed rail corridor connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Measuring 417 metres in length and 14.4 metres in width, the tunnel has been designed to accommodate both up and down tracks of the Bullet Train network. The breakthrough was achieved through controlled drilling and blasting operations carried out simultaneously from both ends of the tunnel, allowing engineers to complete excavation while maintaining structural stability and safety standards.
Given the geological complexities associated with mountain tunnelling, extensive monitoring systems and geotechnical instruments were deployed throughout the construction process. Real-time monitoring mechanisms, including Surface Settlement Points (SSP), 3D targets, strain gauges and seismographs, were used to track tunnel behaviour, ground movement, vibration levels and the condition of nearby structures during excavation activities.
Safety remained a key focus during construction. Authorities implemented comprehensive worker protection measures, including advanced ventilation systems, fire safety infrastructure, controlled access arrangements and continuous geotechnical surveillance within the tunnel.
The breakthrough represents the third mountain tunnel completed in Maharashtra within a span of five months, highlighting the pace of construction in one of the most technically demanding sections of the Bullet Train corridor. It also marks the successful completion of all three mountain tunnels situated between the upcoming Vapi and Boisar Bullet Train stations. This stretch passes through a strategically important industrial belt spanning southern Gujarat and northern Maharashtra.
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project includes a total of eight mountain tunnels, of which seven are located in Maharashtra’s Palghar district and one in Gujarat’s Valsad district. Progress has been recorded across several tunnel packages. Tunnel MT-08, measuring 350 metres, was completed in October 2023, while MT-06, spanning 454 metres, achieved breakthrough in February 2026. Another major tunnel, MT-05, stretching 1.5 kilometres, was completed in January 2026.
Meanwhile, excavation work on MT-03 has crossed 80 per cent completion, while MT-04 has achieved nearly 60 per cent progress. Construction activities on MT-01 and MT-02 are also advancing steadily.
The latest breakthrough is expected to further accelerate development of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor, one of India’s most ambitious transportation infrastructure projects. With tunnelling works progressing across multiple sections, the project continues to move closer towards establishing the country’s first high-speed rail network.
Source: NHSRCL
5th Jun, 2025
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