The construction of the 135 km long mostly elevated section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train corridor in Maharashtra is a challenging section in this high-speed rail project. This section, between Shilphata and Zaroli village near the Gujarat-Maharashtra border, will navigate through 95 villages and towns in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, covering Thane and Palghar districts.
Key highlights of this challenging construction include:
Viaducts and Bridges: Out of the 135 km, 124 km will consist of viaducts and bridges, including 11 steel bridges.
Mountain and Tunnels: The section will feature 7 mountain tunnels.
Stations and Depot: Three stations—Thane, Virar, and Boisar—are planned, along with a rolling stock depot at Thane.
Crossings: The alignment will cross over several key infrastructures, including Central and Western Railway lines, Dedicated Freight Corridor, Mumbai suburban line, and the elevated Mumbai Metro Line 5. It will also span across major highways, such as National Highway-48 and Mumbai-Agra National Highway-3.
River Bridges: The section will have bridges over four major rivers, with the most challenging being a 460-meter steel bridge (100 + 130, 130 + 100-meter spans) over the Ulhas River, which will be the heaviest steel structure in the project (9672 MT). The longest bridge will be 2.32 km long over the Vaitarna River.
Wildlife Sanctuaries: The alignment will be touching, some of the ecological hotspots for wildlife in north-western Maharashtra – Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS). Special efforts have been made to ensure that ecology of the area does not get adversely impacted due to this project.
Due to its proximity with Mumbai, other infrastructure projects including railway lines and highways are also coming up in this region.
The construction progress includes the nearing completion of geotechnical investigations, the commencement of work on mountain tunnels, and the completion of approximately 265 open foundations (about 11 km) for pier work. Foundation work has also begun at Boisar and Virar stations.
As the construction of this crucial section progresses, it brings the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project one step closer to transforming travel in the region. Overcoming complex engineering challenges and navigating through densely populated areas and protected wildlife sanctuaries, this section once completed, will significantly reduce travel time, boost regional connectivity, and usher in a new era of transportation for the country.
