Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train: Surat-Bilimora section to begin operations in 2027, says Vaishnaw

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday announced that the Surat-Bilimora stretch of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor is expected to become operational next year, marking a major milestone in India’s first high-speed rail project.

Speaking at the HYSEA GCCS & IT Roundtable in Hyderabad, Vaishnaw said construction work on the country’s first bullet train corridor is progressing at a fast pace. He added that the remaining sections of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor will be opened gradually in a phased manner after completion.

"The first bullet train project is right now under construction between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and the progress is immense. Next year, we will start the first section of the bullet train in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad section between Surat and Bilimora," he said.

The minister said the high-speed rail network will play a key role in connecting regional economies, improving mobility and transforming urban development patterns across cities linked by the corridor.

"Then section by section immediately after that, we will go from Vapi to Surat, then we will go from Vapi to Ahmedabad, then Ahmedabad to Thane, then Ahmedabad to Mumbai. So that is the phase-by-phase, section-by-section opening we will start from next year onwards," Vaishnaw said.

He also shared an update on the government’s ongoing “Nav-Nirmaan” initiative aimed at rebuilding and modernising railway stations across India. He said 261 railway stations have already been completed under the redevelopment programme, describing the pace of work as unprecedented.

"Then section by section immediately after that, we will go from Vapi to Surat, then we will go from Vapi to Ahmedabad, then Ahmedabad to Thane, then Ahmedabad to Mumbai. So that is the phase-by-phase, section-by-section opening we will start from next year onwards," Vaishnaw said.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, being developed with Japanese technology support, is expected to introduce a new era of high-speed connectivity in India once fully completed.

Highlighting the redevelopment of the historic Secunderabad railway station, the minister said the facility is being transformed into a completely new structure while ensuring that regular train operations continue without disruption. He pointed out that carrying out large-scale construction work at a busy railway hub presents significant operational challenges.

"In the world, when they do a railway redevelopment work, they stop the traffic. We cannot stop the traffic. We have to be careful while the traffic is still there. We are constructing an air concourse, which is like a roof over all the platforms, while trains are actually moving. We are working very diligently with a focus on safety and quality," the Minister said.

Addressing reporters after the roundtable event at the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Vaishnaw reiterated that India’s high-speed rail projects are designed not only to reduce travel time but also to strengthen economic integration between regions.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given three high-speed bullet train corridors to Hyderabad, which will change its landscape. From Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Chennai, and Hyderabad to Bengaluru--this will become a major game-changer for the entire region. Hyderabad will become the high-speed hub. It will bring a huge amount of development, and the economies of this entire region will become fully integrated," the Minister said.

The railway minister also highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s technology and electronics manufacturing ecosystem. He said Telangana has emerged as one of the major beneficiaries of the Centre’s electronics manufacturing initiatives, which are aimed at boosting domestic production and attracting investment in the sector.

"More than a hundred electronics manufacturing companies have been promoted under the electronics manufacturing programs of the Government of India, where Telangana has been a big beneficiary. In railways, a ₹5,400 crore budget is being given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Telangana. Because of that, a huge change is happening," he noted.