Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train To Launch Soon, Slashing Travel Time To 2 Hours: Minister Vaishnaw

Gandhinagar, Aug 4 (KNN) Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday announced that India’s first bullet train service between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will begin operations ‘very soon’, significantly reducing travel time between the two cities to just two hours and seven minutes.

Speaking at an event at Bhavnagar terminus, where he virtually flagged off the Ayodhya Express, Rewa–Pune Express, and Jabalpur–Raipur Express in the presence of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Chief Ministers Mohan Yadav and Vishnu Deo Sai, the minister said work on the high-speed rail corridor is progressing rapidly.

The 508-kilometre Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train line will originate from Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex and connect to several key cities in Gujarat, including Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad. Trains will run at a top speed of 320 km per hour.

Highlighting developments in Gujarat’s railway infrastructure, Vaishnaw announced several upcoming projects, including a new Porbandar–Rajkot train service, a Rs 135-crore coach maintenance facility at Ranavav, a railway flyover in Porbandar, two Gati Shakti cargo terminals, and a container terminal at a planned port in Bhavnagar.

The minister also credited the ‘double-engine governments’ in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for accelerating railway projects in those states.

Reviewing national progress, Vaishnaw said 34,000 kilometres of new railway tracks have been laid over the past 11 years—an average of nearly 12 kilometres per day. 

He also noted that 1,300 railway stations are currently being redeveloped under a nationwide infrastructure upgrade initiative.

“Unlike developed countries where stations are shut down during redevelopment, in India, we are managing station upgrades while keeping trains running and services functional,” he said.

Vaishnaw further showcased the new-generation trains launched under the current administration, including the Vande Bharat Express, Amrit Bharat Express, and Namo Bharat Express. 

He noted that eight Amrit Bharat trains have been introduced so far, offering modern amenities similar to Vande Bharat services but at more affordable fares.

(KNN Bureau)