Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project achieves third mountain tunnel breakthrough in Maharashtra. All details inside

 With this development, three mountain tunnel breakthroughs have now been completed in Maharashtra within the past five months, highlighting rapid progress in one of the most technically challenging sections of India’s first high-speed rail corridor.

The newly completed MT-07 tunnel is 417 metres long and 14.4 metres wide, designed to accommodate both up and down tracks of the bullet train corridor. The excavation was carried out using a controlled drilling and blasting method from both ends, supported by advanced engineering practices and strict safety protocols.

Throughout the tunnelling process, sophisticated monitoring systems and geotechnical instruments were deployed to ensure structural stability, precision, and worker safety. These included Surface Settlement Points (SSP), 3D targets, strain gauges, and seismographs to continuously monitor vibrations, tunnel behaviour, and surrounding ground conditions. Comprehensive safety measures such as ventilation systems, fire safety arrangements, controlled access, and continuous supervision were maintained throughout the operation.

Earlier Tunnel Breakthroughs in Maharashtra

The latest achievement follows two earlier milestones in the region. The first mountain tunnel breakthrough (MT-05), a 1.5 km stretch near Saphale in Palghar district, was completed on 2 January 2026, marking the first successful mountain tunnel breakthrough for the project in Maharashtra.

This was followed by the second breakthrough (MT-06) on 3 February 2026, involving a 454-metre tunnel excavated using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). Both breakthroughs were achieved within a month in Palghar district, underscoring the pace of construction activity.

Among the seven mountain tunnels under construction in Maharashtra, MT-05, MT-06, and MT-07 have now achieved breakthroughs. MT-08 (350 metres) had already been completed on 5 October 2023, while MT-03 has crossed 80% excavation progress, MT-04 is nearing 60%, and MT-01 and MT-02 are progressing steadily.

Of the total eight mountain tunnels in the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project, seven are located in Maharashtra’s Palghar district and one in Gujarat’s Valsad district, where tunnelling work has already been completed.

All three mountain tunnels between Vapi and Boisar stations have now been successfully excavated. The corridor passes through a key industrial belt between Boisar in Maharashtra and Vapi in Gujarat, where construction is advancing rapidly.

The Ministry said the project continues to adopt advanced tunnelling, monitoring, and construction technologies, strengthening India’s capabilities in high-speed rail infrastructure and laying the foundation for a modern and future-ready transport network.