25 August,2026 04:10 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The 135.45-km section includes 124.027 km of viaducts and bridges, forming a key part of India`s first high-speed rail corridor. Pic/ Ashwini Vaishnaw on Instagram
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project is taking shape across the varied terrain of Maharashtra's Thane and Palghar districts, with construction progressing on a 135.45-km elevated section between Shilphata in Thane and Zaroli village on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday shared an update on the ongoing construction, highlighting the engineering work being carried out across the section.
The 135.45-km section includes 124.027 km of viaducts and bridges, forming a key part of India's first high-speed rail corridor.
Construction is also underway on three elevated bullet train stations at Thane, Virar, and Boisar.
At Thane, the station concourse is being constructed approximately 12 metres above ground level to help preserve mangroves in the eco-sensitive area.
Pier construction has progressed across more than 100 km, with around 74 km of piers ready for the installation of viaduct girders.
To support construction, nine casting yards, seven full-span launching gantries, and eight SBS launching gantries are currently operational in Maharashtra.
The section also includes seven mountain tunnels, of which three have already achieved breakthrough.
Drainage, waterproofing, and tunnel-lining work is now progressing inside the completed tunnel sections.
Several major bridges are also being constructed along the corridor, including a 460-metre bridge over the Ulhas River, a 2.32-km bridge over the Vaitarna River and a 510-metre bridge over the Jagani River.
The section will also feature 36 bridges and crossings, including 12 steel bridges spanning major railway lines, the Ulhas River, the Mumbai-Nashik Highway, and other key locations.
The construction across Thane and Palghar highlights the scale of engineering involved in developing India's first bullet train corridor, which is being built as part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project.
Meanwhile, last week, a tunnel breakthrough was achieved at Shilphata in Maharashtra's Thane district as part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project.
Sources said the breakthrough was achieved using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM).
The event was attended by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology, they said on Friday.
The tunnel forms part of Package C2 of the Bullet Train corridor and is being constructed by Afcons Infrastructure Ltd.
Unlike tunnel boring machines (TBMs), the NATM relies on the surrounding ground to act as a natural support structure. As excavation progresses, concrete is sprayed onto the tunnel walls to stabilise and reinforce the structure, ensuring its safety and integrity, sources said.
The milestone follows several other civil and infrastructure developments completed over recent months.
"Ashwini Vaishnaw will be visiting the NHSRCL site at Ghansoli on Saturday to grace the Bullet Train - Shilphata Tunnel breakthrough event," an official said.
