Bullet Train: Construction begins in elevated part of project in Palghar and Thane districts of Maharashtra

The construction work at a bullet train site in Maharashtra. Pic/Western Railway

The construction of the bullet train corridor has commenced in the elevated section spanning Palghar and Thane districts in Maharashtra, the Western Railway said on Thursday.

According to an official statement, the Western Railway said that the stretch covers a total length of 135 km, extending from Shilphata, near Mumbai, to Zaroli village on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. The segment is marked by intricate engineering challenges, including mountain tunnels, river bridges, and elevated stations.

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The Western Railway also shared some of the key highlights of the project:

Total Length: 135 km

Viaduct & River Bridges: 124 km

Special Crossings: 11 steel bridges totaling 2 km (approx.)

Stations: 3 elevated stations - Thane, Virar, and Boisar

Mountain Tunnels: 6 totaling 6 km (approx.)

Longest River Bridge: 2.32 km on the Vaitarna River, part of the MAHSR project totaling 3.22 km

Contract Signing Date: July 19, 2023

Package Name: MAHSR -C-3

The Western Railway further said that the elevated part of the project involves intricate engineering features, including 6 mountain tunnels, 36 crossings (11 of which are steel bridges), and river bridges over major water bodies such as Ulhas, Vaitarna, and Jagani rivers. The Vaitarna River hosts the longest bridge of the bullet train project, spanning 2.32 km.

It said, "Three bullet train stations are incorporated in this section, namely Thane, Virar, and Boisar."

Positioned within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), these stations play a pivotal role in the daily commute of thousands of residents who use various modes of transport such as local trains, cars, and city buses.

The progress on the section:

Land Acquisition: 100 per cent completed, with cleaning and grubbing works underway (78 km completed).
Geotechnical Investigation: Ongoing, with over 50% completed.

Foundation Construction: Open foundation work is complete at 19 locations, with progress at 42 locations.

Meanwhile, last month, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had visited the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor which has been making steady progress since work began in November 2021. He had also reviewed an under construction tunnel. The railway minister has been conducting regular reviews of India's first high speed corridor project.

He had earlier said that to speed up the process, some innovations have been made. Work is going on simultaneously from four directions.