New Images Show Progress on India’s First Bullet Train Project

Progress on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project is moving quickly, according to new photos released on social media.

Images published in recent days by India’s National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) on X (formerly Twitter) as part of a company-wide photography competition revealed snapshots of India’s first bullet-train project under construction.

The winning photos include a tunnel interior, a viaduct and one of the elevated stations that are being constructed along the route.

The NHSRCL said the images highlighted the “spirit and progress” of the 508-kilometer construction project, which is aimed to be completed by 2028.

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This serene image captures a proud engineer making his way across a newly constructed MAHSR viaduct, symbolizing the relentless forward march of development and progress pic.twitter.com/caeBlUp0c6

— NHSRCL (@nhsrcl) August 25, 2024

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This image captures under construction bullet train station, elevated above verdant fields and set beneath a vast, shimmering sky. Here, amidst the natural scenery, a significant architectural feat is taking shape. pic.twitter.com/14dkV9s2z7

— NHSRCL (@nhsrcl) August 27, 2024

The project is expected to significantly impact various sectors of the economy, from construction to tourism. Estimated to use 16 million tons of steel and 1.7 million cubic meters of cement, it’s already injected a significant boost into India’s construction industry.

The network will have 12 stations, 8 maintenance depots and 3 rolling stock depots. So far, 780,000 cubic meters of concrete have been used in the construction process.

The venture is part of India’s broader ambition to modernize its transportation network and stimulate economic activity along the corridor between the two major urban areas.

Newsweek reached out to India’s National High-Speed Rail Corporation for more information on the progress via email.

Estimated to cost $15 billion, the entirety of the construction is primarily financed through a loan of $12 billion from Japan, offered at a concessional interest rate of 0.1 percent over 50 years.

Along with the competition images, the NHSRCL also recently unveiled progress on a 100-meter-long steel bridge in Silvassa, one of the bridges that support the railway,

Works on eight of the bridges which will run along the Bullet Train corridor have also now been completed. This includes those on Par, Puna, Minhdola, Ambika, Auranga, Venganiya, Mohar and Dhadhar rivers. There will be 24 river bridges in total.

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100 m long ‘Make in India’ steel bridge launched in Silvassa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli for the Bullet Train Project. Weighing 1464 MT, this bridge stands 14.6 m tall and 14.3 m wide. This is the fourth steel bridge to be completed. pic.twitter.com/eGlHAfnKNZ

— NHSRCL (@nhsrcl) August 26, 2024

In Maharashtra, work has begun on a 4.3-mile undersea rail tunnel, part of a 13-mile-long tunnel to take the trains.

Mumbai, India’s financial capital, is a significant part of the country’s economy, as well as the Bollywood film industry. It houses the headquarters for the largest Indian and multinational corporations, as well as the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Ahmedabad is a major city in the state of Gujarat further up the western coast and is emerging as an economic and industrial hub. The connection to a major city is expected to significantly boost the local economy.

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