As part of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, the upcoming bullet train stations are being designed along the corridor with state-of-the-art features to provide a seamless and world-class travel experience. Developed to meet international standards, the stations will emphasise functionality, passenger comfort, and sustainability. The corridor will feature 12 stations: Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, and Sabarmati. Here are the key highlights of the stations along the route.
1. Passenger-centric design
The stations will feature soothing interiors, ample seating in waiting areas, and clearly marked signage for easy navigation. With the stations located within city limits, they will offer seamless connectivity to local railways, buses, Metro lines, and parking facilities that will make it convenient for passengers to access the high-speed rail network.
2. Enhanced facilities for travellers
Special focus is being placed on comfort and inclusivity. High-quality restrooms, nurseries for children, and baggage lockers will cater to diverse passenger needs. First-class travellers will have access to business lounges, offering a relaxing environment during their journey.
3. Accessibility features
The stations will incorporate wheelchair-friendly designs, lowered ticket counters with Braille instructions, Braille-enabled elevator buttons, dedicated washrooms for differently-abled passengers, and tactile tiles to guide visually impaired travellers.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on September 14, 2017. This train corridor is one of the Prime Minister's pet projects. Once completed, it will put India into the list of elite nations running high-speed rail. Let's take a look at some key features of India's first bullet train project.
- The total length of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor is 508 km out of which 348 km will fall in Gujarat and 156 km in Maharashtra.
- The bullet train will have an operational speed of 320 km per hour.
- The high-speed train corridor will have a total of 12 stations. Out of these 12 stations, eight will be in Gujarat and four in Maharashtra.
- The train will take approximately 2.07 hours to travel between Mumbai and Ahmedabad with limited stops while 2.58 hours with total stops.
- Out of the total 508 km length of the project, the construction of 465 km is being done through viaduct. The bridges comprise 10 km, Bank, Cut and cover 7 km, 21 km will be underground including 7 km undersea and 5 km mountain tunnels.
- Apart from this, 12 aesthetically designed stations, eight maintenance depots, HSR training institute in Vadodara, three rolling stock depots, and High Speed Rail Multi Modal Hub Sabarmati are part of the ambitious project.
- The bullet train corridor will integrate big economic centres such as Mumbai, Thane, Vapi, Surat, Vadodara, Anand and Ahmedabad and is good for the country's economic growth.
- The bullet train will pass through a 7-km sea tunnel to reach Mumbai from Thane. The work on the tunnel is in progress.
India's first bullet train
It should be noted here that this ambitious project aims to revolutionise transportation between Mumbai and Ahmedabad by offering a futuristic and passenger-friendly rail experience. According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the target has been set to run the first bullet train between Surat and Bilimora by 2026. Once this happens, India will join the elite club of 15 countries which have high-speed train networks.
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