India’s first high-speed rail project, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train, marked a significant milestone today with the successful breakthrough of its second mountain tunnel, MT-6, in Palghar district, Maharashtra.
The 454-meter-long and 14.4-meter-wide tunnel is designed to accommodate both up and down tracks, facilitating seamless high-speed rail operations.
This comes nearly a month after the first mountain tunnel breakthrough in Palghar was achieved on 2 January.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw virtually attended the breakthrough event, highlighting the rapid progress of the project.
“Achieving two mountain tunnel breakthroughs within a month showcases the strong momentum of construction. Multiple challenging works, including tunnels, bridges, and stations, are progressing simultaneously,” he stated.
Read also : 7 high-speed rail corridors announced as ‘growth connectors’ between major cities
The excavation of MT-6 was completed in just 12 months using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), a modern controlled drill-and-blast technique suitable for complex geological conditions.
This method allows real-time adaptation using shotcreting, rock bolts, and lattice girders, eliminating the need for heavy tunnel boring machinery.
This achievement comes after the breakthrough of Mountain Tunnel-5 (MT-5) near Saphale on 2 January 2026, and the first tunnel breakthrough at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai in September 2025.
In total, seven mountain tunnels are under construction in Palghar district, with varying degrees of completion.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor spans 508 kilometers, with 156 kilometers in Maharashtra and 352 kilometers in Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
As of 27 January 2026, approximately 334 kilometers of viaducts, 17 river bridges, and 12 major crossings have been completed, with track laying and electrification progressing rapidly in the Gujarat section.
The bullet train project aims to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to just 1 hour and 58 minutes, significantly enhancing connectivity and economic integration between major commercial centers.
