Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said the Bullet Train Project is generating significant employment and will provide additional opportunities during operation. He highlighted that once completed, the project will reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to just 1 hour and 58 minutes, connecting and integrating the economies of major commercial centres.

 

 

He was speaking yesterday, after a breakthrough had been achieved in an approximately 1.5 km long mountain tunnel (MT-5), among the longest in Palghar district, located between Virar and Boisar bullet train stations. The MT-5 tunnel was excavated from both ends, and the excavation was completed within 18 months using a cutting-edge drill and blast method. 

 

 

The Union Minister highlighted that the project, once completed, will lead to an estimated reduction of nearly 95 percent in carbon dioxide emissions compared to road transport.

 

 

In Maharashtra, work is underway on seven mountain tunnels. MT-1, with a length of 820 metres, has achieved 15 percent physical progress, while MT-2, measuring 228 metres, is currently under preparatory works. MT-3, with a length of 1,403 metres, has recorded 35.5 percent completion, and MT-4, measuring 1,260 metres, has achieved 31 percent progress.MT-6, measuring 454 metres, has progressed to 35 percent, while MT-7, with a length of 417 metres, has achieved 28 percent completion, taking the total length of mountain tunnels in Maharashtra to about 6 km.