Navi Mumbai (Metro Rail News): On 22 May, India’s ambitious 508.17km long Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project achieved a major breakthrough when Afcons Infrastructure successfully completed the excavation work of a 394-meter-long Additionally Driven Intermediate Tunnel (ADIT) in Navi Mumbai.
Afcons completed the construction of the ADIT tunnel in just half a year on the eastern side of the underground Package C-2, which spans 20.377 km from Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai, to Shilphata, Thane, in Maharashtra. This tunnel features a 42-meter deep inclined shaft and serves as access for initiating excavation work for the main-line tunnel, which will be done using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM).
The portal of the ADIT tunnel falls in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai. From its furthest point, NATM tunneling will extend in two directions – westward towards Sawli’s Shaft-3 for a distance of 1.6 kilometers, and eastward towards Shilphata’s tunnel portal, covering an approximate distance of 1.8 kilometers.
Package C-2’s scope of work
In June 2023, Afcons Infrastructure bagged Package C-2 from the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd, at Rs crore 6397.27 with an 1888-day deadline. Under this package, Afcons is responsible for constructing three shafts at BKC Station, Vikhroli, and Sawli, each at approximate depths of 36m, 56m, and 39m respectively. These shafts will serve as launch and retrieval points for three Mega Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). The TBMs will bore approximately 16 kilometers of tunnel.
Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor (MAHSR) stands as India’s first bullet train project, covering approximately 508 km. It features 12 strategically positioned stations along its route. Engineered for high-speed travel, the corridor is designed to accommodate bullet trains operating at speeds of up to 320 kmph. Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has indicated that operations are expected to commence in August 2026.
