Crews lower 350-tonne cutterhead at Ghansoli, complete TBM shield assembly
Big news for India's first bullet train: crews just lowered a 350-tonne cutterhead, completing primary assembly of the TBM's main shield at Ghansoli in Mumbai.
This machine will carve out a 21-kilometer underground tunnel, connecting Ghansoli and Vikhroli, which is one of the trickiest parts of the whole high-speed rail route.
The tunnel will carry both the up and down bullet train lines, making things smoother for future journeys.
TBM fully assembled by July 2026
The TBM should be fully assembled by July 2026, with testing to follow.
If all goes well, it can dig about 70 meters each day, but finishing this stretch is expected to take at least a year because of breaks and tough terrain.
The entire Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train line (using speedy Japanese Shinkansen tech) is aiming to launch by August 15, 2027, and could cut travel time between the two cities down to just two hours.