July 7, 2025: The underground station at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), a key node on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor, has reached 80% excavation completion, with base slab casting underway approximately 100 feet below ground at both ends, the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has announced. These civil engineering milestones mark steady progress toward the corridor’s scheduled operational launch in 2028—India’s first bullet train.
NHSRCL’s latest construction update reveals significant momentum across various segments of the 508-km project. Elevated stations at Thane, Virar, and Boisar are advancing swiftly, with first slabs already cast at the Virar and Boisar sites. Viaduct construction is also progressing, with pier foundations laid across nearly 44 kilometres and full-span box girder launches now underway near Dahanu in Palghar district.
The project’s extensive tunnelling work has gained pace as well. Seven mountain tunnels in Palghar are currently under development, and bridge construction is ongoing over the Vaitarna, Ulhas, and Jagani rivers. A major engineering feat—the 21-kilometre undersea and underground tunnel connecting BKC and Shilphata—is well underway. Of this, 16 km is being excavated using tunnel boring machines (TBMs), while 5 km is being constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), with 4.1 km already completed from both ends.
Portal shafts at Vikhroli (56 metres deep) and Sawli (39 metres) have also seen base slab casting completed. Sludge treatment facilities are now operational at several shaft locations, and segment casting for tunnel linings is ongoing at the Mahape yard.
These developments reflect NHSRCL’s coordinated approach—balancing elevated structures, deep tunnelling, and river-spanning bridges—keeping the high-speed rail project on track. As the focus shifts toward track laying, signalling, and station finishes, the next phase will require seamless integration to ensure timely delivery with minimal disruption to Mumbai’s dense urban landscape.
Source: Urban Acres
