Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project: India’s largest rail tunnel boring machine begins work

1 min readJul 5, 2026 01:22 PM IST

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project latest update: The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project achieved another milestone on Sunday as tunnelling work commenced with India’s largest rail tunnel boring machine (TBM). The TBM launched from Vikhroli will excavate a 6-km-long single-tube tunnel designed to accommodate both the up and down tracks of the bullet train.

According to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the tunnel boring machine will pass beneath dense urban areas during its journey, including multi-storeyed buildings, roads, the Mithi River and other critical infrastructure.

India’s largest rail Tunnel Boring Machine starts excavation from Vikhroli for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project (Image: NHSRCL)

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project underground tunnel

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project includes a 21-km underground tunnel section. Of this, a 16-km stretch between Sawli (Ghansoli) and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai will be excavated using tunnel boring machines (TBMs), while the remaining 5-km section has already been completed using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM).