In a significant milestone, the Indian government has successfully acquired 100% of the land required for the ambitious high-speed rail project connecting Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The achievement comes after more than five-and-a-half years since the initial land acquisition notification, underscoring the complexity and time-consuming nature of such infrastructure undertakings.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday that the National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) has acquired 1,389.5 hectares of land for the project, spanning Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Vaishnaw reported that NHSRCL has completed pier casting for 268.5 km of the total 508.2 km corridor and accomplished girder launching for 120 km. The first trial run of the bullet train in Gujarat is set to commence in August 2026.
The government attributes delays in the project to challenges in land acquisition in Maharashtra and subsequent impacts on contract finalization, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally planned for completion in 2023, the project witnessed multiple extensions due to land acquisition issues, particularly in Maharashtra.
Notably, the land acquisition process gained momentum under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, with significant progress achieved in obtaining statutory clearances for the project. NHSRCL reported that all civil contracts for the project in Gujarat and Maharashtra have been awarded, and construction milestones, including tunneling and bridge erection, have been reached.
The bullet train project involves the construction of India’s first 7-km undersea rail tunnel, part of a 21 km long tunnel between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Shilphata in Maharashtra. Construction activities are also underway for various stations along the route, further enhancing the project’s progress.
