Significant Progress on Vapi Station for Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project

Milestones Achieved at Vapi Station

The Vapi station in Gujarat, part of the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, has reached crucial construction milestones, including the completion of the rail platform level slab casting and structural steel work, according to the implementing agency.

The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is utilizing Japan's Shinkansen technology for this project, reported that roof sheeting and electrical installations are currently underway. They also noted that the approach viaduct leading to Ahmedabad is finished, while work on the viaduct towards Mumbai is ongoing.

Station Specifications and Connectivity

The Vapi station is designed to cover a built-up area of 28,917 square meters and will stand approximately 22 meters tall. It will include amenities such as a business class lounge. Located about seven kilometers from the Vapi railway junction, 7.5 kilometers from the bus station, and five kilometers from an industrial zone, it will be one of twelve stations along the bullet train route, which includes Mumbai (Bandra Kurla Complex), Thane, Virar, Boisar, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand/Nadiad, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati.

Project Timeline and Future Plans

The first phase of this ambitious project, covering a 348-km stretch in Gujarat, is anticipated to be operational by 2027. A trial run is expected in early 2026 on a 50-km segment between Surat and Bilimora, with the arrival of Shinkansen E3 and E5 series trains from Japan, capable of reaching speeds up to 320 km/h.

By 2028, the entire corridor is projected to be completed, significantly reducing travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to under three hours. One service will stop at every station, taking approximately 2 hours and 58 minutes, while another will only stop at select stations, completing the journey in about 2 hours and 7 minutes.

Construction Progress and Challenges

As per the latest update from NHSRCL, 304 km of viaduct and 388 km of pier work have been completed, along with 14 river bridges, seven steel bridges, and five pre-stressed concrete bridges. Approximately 163 km of track bed has also been finalized.

This project, funded by Japan, is facing rising costs, primarily due to infrastructure development, as the Japan International Cooperation Agency is financing the construction of the high-speed rail line.

Train Procurement and Project History

In September 2021, Thai Airways announced that the first Shinkansen E5 bullet train, capable of traveling at 320 km/h, would take at least two years to arrive from Japan, as Indian Railways was negotiating with their Japanese counterparts regarding the timeline for train delivery.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the project three years prior to the commencement of construction in 2020. The total length of the project is 545 km, encompassing Maharashtra (155.76 km), Gujarat (384.04 km), and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (4.3 km), with the original completion date set for 2023. However, protests related to land acquisition have delayed progress.

Recent Developments

In March 2024, NHSRCL announced that all civil contracts for both Gujarat and Maharashtra have been awarded. Construction of the first reinforced concrete track bed for the MAHSR corridor, suitable for Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains, has begun in Surat and Anand. This marks the first use of the J-slab ballastless track system in India. NHSRCL also celebrated the completion of a 350-meter long and 12.6-meter wide mountain tunnel in Gujarat's Valsad district within ten months.

Additionally, the first steel bridge, spanning 70 meters and weighing 673 MT, has been erected across National Highway 53 in Surat, Gujarat.

In March 2024, NHSRCL initiated work on India's first seven-kilometer undersea rail tunnel, part of a 21-km tunnel between BKC and Shilphata in Maharashtra. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who visited Japan last year to address project concerns, announced in February 2024 that a 50-km stretch from Surat to Bilimora is set to open in August 2026.