The first operational stretch of India's flagship Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor will begin services next year, with the Surat-Bilimora section set to become the country's first bullet train route, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday.
Speaking at the HYSEA GCCS & IT Roundtable in Hyderabad, Vaishnaw said construction of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is progressing rapidly and the corridor will be opened in phases.
"The first bullet train project is under construction between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The progress is immense. Next year, we will start the first section between Surat and Bilimora," the minister said.
He said the remaining stretches would be commissioned sequentially, with the route extending from Vapi to Surat, Vapi to Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad to Thane and finally Ahmedabad to Mumbai.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor is India's first bullet train project and is expected to significantly reduce travel time while introducing Japanese Shinkansen technology to the country's railway network.
Vaishnaw also reviewed the Centre's ambitious railway station redevelopment programme, saying 261 stations have already been modernised under the "Nav-Nirmaan" initiative.
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He highlighted the redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station, describing it as one of the country's most challenging infrastructure projects because construction is continuing without disrupting regular train operations.
"Unlike many countries where rail traffic is halted during station redevelopment, we are carrying out construction while trains continue to operate. We are building an air concourse over the platforms with a strong focus on safety and quality," he said.
The minister also announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved three proposed high-speed rail corridors connecting Hyderabad with Pune, Chennai and Bengaluru, which he said would transform the city's connectivity and integrate the regional economy.
Calling Hyderabad a future high-speed rail hub, Vaishnaw said the new corridors would drive economic growth across southern and western India.
Highlighting the Centre's investments in Telangana, he said the state has emerged as a major beneficiary of India's electronics manufacturing push, with more than 100 companies supported under central schemes. He added that Telangana has also been allocated Rs 5,400 crore for railway development, which is expected to accelerate infrastructure expansion across the state.
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